Authorities say a Lake View man who was arrested last night (Thursday) in Carroll is accused of brandishing a firearm at another motorist. According to Carroll County District Court records, the Carroll Police Department and Carroll County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched shortly before 6 p.m. after a caller reported a driver had waved a pistol at her. The reporting party claims the driver, identified as 51-year-old David Lawrence Nelson, pulled out onto U.S. Highway 30 in front of her at Ivy Avenue and drove erratically eastbound toward Carroll. The caller alleges Nelson then slowed to a stop on the highway and held up a pistol in clear sight and in a threatening manner. The caller contacted authorities and tracked the vehicles, leading to a traffic stop at the intersection of 2nd and Carroll Streets. Authorities say Nelson had an open container of beer inside the 2020 GMC Sierra he was driving and displayed several signs of intoxication. Law enforcement confirmed with Nelson there was a weapon inside the vehicle, a Taurus TCP chambered in .380 ACP. Officials note the pistol was loaded with two rounds of ammunition in the magazine, but the chamber was empty. A DataMaster breath test administered at the Carroll County Jail showed Nelson’s blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.233 percent, nearly three times the legal limit. He was booked on charges of assault while displaying a dangerous weapon, an aggravated misdemeanor, and first-offense operating while intoxicated, a serious misdemeanor. Nelson was released Thursday pending future court appearances.
