Cedar Rapids man charged with flashing gun during road rage incident

A Cedar Rapids man was arrested Wednesday in Johnson County on charges that he flashed a handgun at another driver during a road rage incident on Interstate 380.

Shawn Pettit, 36, is charged with assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. He had a first appearance in court Thursday and was released from jail after posting a $2,000 bond.

According to a criminal complaint, Pettit was driving a gray Chevy Silverado pickup Wednesday evening near I-380’s Mile Marker 4 near North Liberty. Another driver called 911 to report that Pettit was speeding and weaving in and out of traffic. At one point, Pettit had brake-checked the caller and flashed a black handgun, the complaint said.

A Johnson County sheriff’s deputy found Pettit and pulled him over farther south, near Mile Marker 87 on Highway 218. Pettit admitted to speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, and said he had a confrontation with the driver that had called 911, but said he never flashed a gun. He admitted he had a gun in his car, and the deputy found a black handgun in the center console, the complaint said.

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