Charges: Passenger Displayed Gun In Freeborn County Traffic Dispute

A man displayed a gun during a traffic dispute on I-35 in Freeborn County last week, according to charges filed Friday.

Antonyo Robert Ausman, 18, of Coon Rapids, was charged with felony counts of 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and possession of a firearm with no serial number.

According to a criminal complaint, Ausman was a passenger in a vehicle that cut off another vehicle on I-35.  The driver told investigators that he tried to pass the vehicle, but Ausman flipped him off.  The victim said he returned the gesture. In response, Ausman reached in the backseat and retrieve a black handgun that he held up to the window, but did not directly point at the victim, according to the complaint.

Police spoke to Ausman and the driver, who both said there wasn’t a firearm in the vehicle.  But when troopers searched, they discovered a gun without a serial number and two 24-round Glock magazines loaded with 33 rounds, according to the complaint.

Police say Ausman claimed self-defense, but admitted he had lied about not having a gun in the vehicle.  He allegedly told investigators that he held the gun up to the window and pointed it at the ground in the victim’s direction.