Man shares frightening road rage story; woman accused of pointing BB gun at his car

MESA, Ariz. (KSAZ) - A road rage victim is speaking out after an aggressive driver pointed a weapon at him while he was driving on the freeway.

As it turns out, it was an airsoft BB gun. Now that driver is facing felony charges.

The incident happened on the morning of December 9 on Highway 60 in the east valley. The victim says he got on the freeway at Ironwood and noticed someone tailgating him. He let the other driver pass. That's when he says she pointed a gun at his car.

He called 911 and followed her. She was later taken into custody near Ellsworth and Elliot.

"We heard a couple of hits.. the side of the car," said Dean Metzger.

Metzger and his son were driving westbound on Highway 60 when the driver behind them became aggressive.

"I set my cruise control at 73 and she was tailgating me in the left lane, so maybe I just wasn't going fast enough for her," he said.

The Department of Public Safety says that driver was 35-year-old Shannon French, from Apache Junction.

The victim says he let her pass and that's when her behavior escalated.

"I noticed the handgun out the window again from the driver. It was a female driver.. the weapon was pointed at my son," said Metzger.

He called 9-1-1 and followed French, who exited the highway off Ellsworth. DPS and Mesa Police officers took her into custody and found a black BB handgun in her front passenger seat.

French is now facing aggravated assault and endangerment charges. She was released from custody, but has to wear a GPS ankle monitor.

Metzger and his son were not hurt in the road rage incident, and their car only had minor damage, but he says it could've quickly turned deadly for the aggressive driver.

Metzger is a former deputy and typically carries a concealed weapon -- he was not at the time of the incident.

"When that handgun was pointed in the direction of my son when she was on the side of us.. had I been armed, it would've turned out a lot differently because I'm going to protect myself and my family," he said.