Manchester Man Points Gun At West Hartford Motorist: Police

WEST HARTFORD, CT — A Manchester man has been charged with threatening a fellow motorist with a gun Thursday in an apparent road rage incident in West Hartford.

According to Connecticut State Police Friday, the incident happened on Interstate 84 West near Exit 43 in West Hartford at about 7:22 a.m. Thursday.

Police charged Kewon Rondell Banks, 32, of Manchester, with first-degree threatening (display of a firearm) and second-degree breach of peace, according to a police statement Friday.

Banks was released on a $5,000 bond and is scheduled for arraignment in Hartford Superior Court Oct. 9.

Police said Friday a responding trooper met with a complainant in a location off the highway to investigate this matter.

The complaint said they were traveling in the left lane of three on I-84 West when they observed another vehicle, described as a Nissan Altima, weaving in and out of the travel lanes, police said.

According to police, the driver of the Nissan then proceeded to unsafely merge into the left lane in front of them.

Police said the complainant said they honked their horn towards the Nissan and in response, the operator of the Nissan slammed on their brakes.

Acccording to police, the complainant explained they made a hand gesture towards the operator of the Nissan and observed the operator, described as an adult male, point a firearm toward them through the driver’s side window.

Police said the complainant said they distanced themselves from the Nissan to avoid further escalation.

The complainant said the operator merged into the center lane and motioned with his hand to suggest they position their vehicle alongside his, according to police.

Police said the witness claimed they further distanced themselves from the Nissan and proceeded to call police, at which point the Nissan continued traveling Westbound on I-84.

The complainant provided the trooper with the accused’s vehicle description, the license plate, the operator’s descriptors, and a description of the firearm, police said.

With that information, the trooper was able to determine the Nissan was a rental, and the renter was listed as Banks, according to police.

Troopers visited Banks’ residence in Manchester, but did not locate him there, police said.

Police then said an occupant of the residence contacted Banks by phone so troopers could speak with him.

During their phone conversation, Banks explained he was at work but agreed to meet with troopers, according to police

Troopers met with Banks shortly thereafter and discussed the incident with Banks.

Police said, during the discussion, Banks admitted to displaying his firearm during a road rage incident earlier in the day "because he thought the other driver was reaching for something."

Banks said the firearm was still in the vehicle, which was later located and seized as evidence, police said.

As a result of the investigation, Banks was taken into custody and transported to Troop H in Hartford where he was processed.

For the Connecticut State Police news page, click on this link.