KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A truck driver from Georgia is charged with firing a gunshot Jan. 22 at another motorist near the Interstate 435 and U.S. 69 Highway interchange in Overland Park.
Terry Dreon Rhines, 35, faces a felony aggravated assault - use of a deadly weapon charge in Johnson County Court.
Rhines also was charged with criminal discharge of a firearm, a misdemeanor.
Court records show Rhines posted bond and was released from the Johnson County Adult Detention Center.
Police were called to the interchange just after 4 p.m. on Jan. 22
Officers found the victim in a convenience store parking lot just off U.S. 69 Highway and 151st Street. The court document states the victim was "pacing and speaking very fast."
The victim told the officer he was traveling east on I-435 and headed for the exit to U.S. 69. He said he began to pass a maroon tractor-trailer. At the same time, Rhines allegedly began to merge his tractor-trailer into the victim's lane.
The officer said the victim told him he honked his horn to let the trucker know he was there. He also drove faster to avoid a crash with the tractor-trailer, according to the court document.
The tractor-trailer got behind the victim's vehicle and he could see the truck driver reach one arm out the driver's side window with an object in his hand.
He told the officer he first thought the object was a cell phone, but heard a loud bang and realized the object was a gun, not a cell phone, according to the court document.
Johnson County Sheriff's Department deputies pulled over Rhines on U.S. 69 Highway near W. 199th Street.
An officer put handcuffs on Rhines and he was told he was being detained for firing a gun at another vehicle.
When asked if he had a gun, Rhines replied, "This is America," according to the court document.
Officers found the gun, a black 9mm Glock 48 handgun, behind the driver's seat.
One round in the gun was not accounted for when officers took the gun.
An ATF K9 was brought to search for the single cartridge case near with exit lanes to U.S. 69 Highway. The dog found the cartridge just west of the tunnel.
Rhines is scheduled to be in Johnson County Court on Thursday for a preliminary hearing.
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