WEST FRIENDSHIP, MD – Maryland State Police arrested James Wells, a 39-year-old Ohio resident, this morning following a road rage incident on Interstate 70 in Howard County. Wells was charged with first-degree assault after allegedly pointing a paintball pistol at another driver.
The confrontation occurred around 9:30 a.m. west of the West Friendship Scale House on I-70 West. The victim, who reported the incident to the Maryland State Police from the Waterloo Barrack, described a tense encounter with the driver of a blue Chevrolet passenger car, later identified as Wells. He alleged that Wells aimed what appeared to be a firearm at him during the altercation.
Troopers from the Frederick Barrack subsequently located and stopped the suspect vehicle on westbound I-70 at MD-15 in Frederick. During the traffic stop, Wells admitted to pointing a loaded paintball pistol at the victim and surrendered the weapon to the police. Following consultation with the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office, Wells was taken into custody and transported to the Howard County Department of Corrections for processing.