Armed Man's Road Rage Leads to Arrest

A bout of road rage has led to the arrest of a Tennessee man, who had the misfortune of directing his traffic-induced anger against an off-duty Greenville Police officer.

According to a Greenville County Sheriff's Office report, Anthony Wayne Center, 41, of Knoxville, Tenn., was arrested Friday afternoon and charged with one count of pointing and presenting a firearm, identified in an arrest warrant as a semi-automatic handgun.

According to a GCSO incident report, a Greenville City Police officer was driving home after work in an unmarked patrol car and was almost struck by another vehicle that was in the process of changing lanes.  

The officer utilized his air horn to signal his presence to the other driver. When both vehicles came to a stop at the next intersection the subject opened the driver’s door of his vehicle and brandished a firearm pointing it in the direction of the officer, the report said.  

The officer began to follow the subject while units from the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist. Once at the intersection of Cedar Lane Road and West Blue Ridge Drive the subject stopped, exited his vehicle, and pointed a handgun at the officer, the report alleged.

The officer activated his blue lights in an effort to evade Center and move out of harms way. Observing the officer’s blue lights the subject re-entered his vehicle and proceeded to 223 Lily Street where the officer, deputies from the GCSO, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol were able to successfully arrest Center, the report said.  

Center was transported to the Greenville County Detention Center where he has since been released on $5,000 bond.