A Reddick man spent Wednesday night in jailed after allegedly assaulting a man and pointing a gun at him in a road rage incident in Ocala.
Ocala Police responded a report of an assault at the Marathon gas station at 1702 S. Pine Ave. Witnesses said a physical altercation had occurred between the driver of a Mini Cooper and a motorcyclist, with the driver of the Mini Cooper being the aggressor, according to the police report.
The driver of the Mini Cooper, 55-year-old Gary Uhl, was detained in handcuffs and said he didn’t want to speak to officers about the incident. He asked for EMS to respond because he was having heart palpitations, the report said.
The driver of the motorcycle said he was stopped at a red light facing north at around the 2300 block of South Pine Avenue when Uhl pulled up behind him in the tan Mini Cooper. The victim said the light turned green and his bike wasn’t in the correct gear to begin traveling, and Uhl became agitated with how long it was taking and blew his horn, according to the report.
The victim said once he got moving and made it through the light, Uhl began speeding and drove very close to motorcycle. He said Uhl was swerving and acting very agitated. The victim said this behavior continued until approximately the 1800 block of South Pine Avenue when Uhl made a sharp left turn, striking the back end of the motorcycle and causing it to fall to the right onto the pavement, the report said.
The victim said as he picked up his bike from the pavement, he noticed Uhl calling him to follow him to the gas station. The victim said as he pulled into the gas station and parked, Uhl got out of his car with his right hand holding a gun in a holster. He said Uhl began approaching him, so he walked over to confront him and Uhl punched him in the face, according to the report.
The victim said he then grabbed and ripped Uhl’s shirt, and Uhl became even angrier and pulled his gun from his holster and pointed it at him. The victim said he was afraid for his life but he continued to engage Uhl because there women and children in the parking lot, the report said.
The victim said he grabbed a hold of Uhl and began wrestling with him behind the Mini Cooper. He said he tried to explain to Uhl there were women and children in the parking lot and he needed to put the gun away. He said Uhl stopped wrestling with him and the two separated as police officers arrived on the scene, according to the report.
Another motorcyclist who was riding with the victim said the victim pointed his middle finger at Uhl when he blew his horn at the traffic light. Otherwise, his account was similar to the victim’s. Another witness said the victim tried to diffuse the situation once Uhl drew his gun by saying there were women and children in the parking lot, the report said.
Uhl was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released Thursday morning on $12,000.