A case of road rage took an unexpected twist when the victim turned out to be a composed state trooper, as reported by the Florida Highway Patrol.
The incident occurred on Sunday, October 29, just before 4 p.m. on Polk Parkway in the Lakeland area. The trooper, who was off duty and with his family at the time, remained calm despite the circumstances, according to a news release from the highway patrol. Lakeland is located about 35 miles northeast of Tampa.
According to the highway patrol, the trooper caught himself in slow-moving traffic when a driver in a red Chevy pickup grew increasingly agitated and began directing his anger towards the trooper.
Once traffic cleared, the suspect maneuvered his vehicle alongside the trooper’s, fluctuating his speed and yelling while using hand gestures. However, the trooper chose to ignore the aggressive behavior. Undeterred, the suspect again slowed his vehicle and brandished a compact firearm, eventually pointing it at the trooper.
The unidentified trooper promptly reported the incident to the Florida Highway Patrol, resulting in a search operation.
Investigators discovered the suspect’s vehicle at the home of a 32-year-old man named Matthew Timothy Reiter in Auburndale, which is approximately 11 miles east of Lakeland. Upon further inspection, troopers located five different firearms at the residence. Reiter was subsequently arrested and charged with three counts each of unlawful display of a weapon and aggravated assault with a weapon.
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