Ulster Man Accused Of Pointing Pellet Gun At Trooper

NAPANOCH, NY — An Ulster County man is facing several felonies after he pointed what turned out to be a pellet gun at a New York State Police trooper.

Police said, shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday, a trooper stopped a 2005 Ford-150 truck on Institution Road in the town of Napanoch for a vehicle and traffic law violation.

As the trooper approached the truck, the driver — David G. Stephens, 31, of Accord — reached for what appeared to be a handgun and began to point it at the trooper, police said.

Stephens was told to drop the gun by the trooper and he did.

He was arrested after he got out of the truck.

Police said the "weapon" was found to be a pellet gun and that Stephens was impaired by alcohol.

After he was given a breath test, it was determined he had a blood alcohol content of 0.17 percent.

Stephens was charged with aggravated DWI, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and menacing a police officer, felonies, and circumvention of an interlock device, a misdemeanor.

He was arraigned in the Town of Rochester Court and released on his own recognizance with a return date of Jan. 7.