Milford Repo Man Threatened with Fake Gun: PD

New Haven Police arrested a West Haven man after an alleged road rage incident involving repo men.

Police responded to the intersection of Ella T. Grasso Boulevard and Columbus Ave regarding a gun complaint April 6 around 1:22 a.m., said Officer David Hartman, police spokesman.

Officers spoke with a 31-year-old repo man from Milford.

He told police that he and his associate were towing a vehicle and stopped behind a Subaru at a red light near the boulevard at Elm Street. He had his amber warning lights activated.

The driver of the Subaru, identified later as Alvin Collins, 58, of Knox Street in West Haven pointed an illuminated flashlight at the repo men.

The repo men pulled up to the Subaru and said they apologized for the bright lights and said they had to stay on due to state law.

Collins then allegedly grabbed a black handgun and pointed it at them. The Milford man yelled Collins and Collins responded by racking the slide of the gun as if he were loading a round into the chamber. The Subaru then sped off.

Officers ran the plate and got Collins' address. West Haven Police were contacted and officers went to Collins' apartment.

New Haven and West Haven officers knocked on his door and he was handcuffed.

Collins told police that he flashed the light at the repo men due to the bright lights and that they began yelling at him after pulling up to his vehicle. He said he kept an airsoft pistol in the car for protection, but never pointed it at the men. He gestured toward a box.

The gun was found to be a functional facsimile firearm tat lacked an orange tip typically used to indicate the gun isn't real.

Collins was charged with carrying a facsimile firearm, threatening in the second degree and breach of peace in the second degree. The fake pistol was confiscated as evidence.