After an incident of road rage was reported last Friday afternoon, one driver who did not have a gun permit allegedly threw a handgun out of his truck to avoid getting caught with it.  

Vincent Hunter Romero, 36, Crane, was arrested by Deputy Jordan Gooding of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department last Friday, October 2.

Deputy Gooding was dispatched at 1:40 p.m. last Friday to a road rage incident that occurred in Greene County but had ended up in Crane Village in Martin County. The incident was reported by Warrick County Deputy Burgorf.

When Deputy Gooding arrived, he located Deputy Burgorf and a green pickup truck at the intersection of Medina Road and West Gate in Martin County.

Deputy Burgorf said he was southbound on US 231 when he was flagged down by a man in a white truck who said a man in the green truck had pointed a gun at him at the intersection of State Roads 58 and 231.

Vincent Romero was identified as the driver of the green truck.

During an interview with Deputy Gooding, Romero said he pulled out of the Junction gas station in front of the white truck and headed west to the intersection of SR 58 and US 231 then got into the turn lane to go south. Romero said the white truck pulled up beside him and the two drivers exchanged heated words. Romero said he turned south on US 231 and was then pulled over by Deputy Burgorf.

Deputy Gooding asked if Romero would consent to a search of his truck. Romero agreed but Deputy Gooding did not find a firearm.

When the driver of the white pickup truck was interviewed by Deputy Gooding, the driver said Romero pulled out in front of him and cut him off. He said when Romero stopped in the turn lane, he stopped in the lane next to Romero and the two drivers started yelling at each other. The driver said Romero grabbed a gun off his center console. The driver said he leaned back so his head would be behind the door pillar and when he saw Deputy Burgorf, he started honking and waving him down. Romero then pulled onto US 231 and the driver of the white truck explained what had happened to Deputy Burgorf who stopped Romero.

Deputy Gooding advised the driver of the white pickup that Romero’s vehicle was searched but a firearm was not located. The driver of the white pickup said he was positive he saw a handgun and he didn’t know what happened to it but there was a handgun.

At that point, Romero was released and everyone cleared the scene but shortly after, Deputy Gooding saw the driver of the white pickup pulled over on East County Line Road east of Progress Way. When Deputy Gooding stopped and asked what was going on, the driver of the white truck pointed to an object next the roadway on the Martin County side of the road. Deputy Gooding reported it was an empty handgun holster. The driver of the white pickup was asked to leave the area and Deputy Gooding called GCSD Deputy Terry Wade to help search the area.

Shortly before Deputy Wade arrived, Deputy Gooding located a black Century Arms TP9 SF Lite 9 mm handgun in the field.

Deputy Gooding and Deputy Wade then went to knock on Romero’s door in Crane Village.

Romero first denied knowing anything about the handgun then admitted he did have the handgun sitting on the center console of his truck but he did not raise it or point it at the other driver. He alleged that during the verbal exchange, the driver of the white pickup started to get out of his truck and may have seen the handgun, but Romero maintained he did not raise or point the gun. Romero said he was scared and threw the handgun out of his truck to avoid getting caught with it. He apologized for lying and said he just didn’t want to get charged.

Deputy Gooding reported Romero did not have a valid handgun permit.

Romero was taken into custody and booked into the Greene County Jail where his bond was set at $1,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He posted $100 and was released later the same day.

Romero is facing a preliminary charge of carrying a handgun without a license, a Class A misdemeanor, and is scheduled to appear in court for his initial hearing on October 22.