Road Rage Response Leads To Arrest In Newport: Police

NEWPORT, OR — Newport police on Wednesday arrested another man who pointed a gun at someone who apparently bothered him. The incident marks the second time in less than two weeks that someone in Newport was arrested for threatening to shoot a complete stranger.

Christopher Michael Schaffer, 27, of Toledo, was taken to Lincoln County jail and charged with menacing, carrying a concealed weapon, pointing a firearm at another person, and disorderly conduct.

According to Newport police officials, Schaffer began following a woman who'd "accidentally" cut him off in traffic while traveling through town around 5:30 p.m. Aug. 15.

Tailgating the woman and her male passenger, Schaffer followed the pair as the woman tried to lose him by making three random turns through a neighborhood. All the while, the woman was watching Schaffer as he appeared to be searching for something in the cab of his pickup.

Eventually producing a green pouch, Schaffer held the bag to his windshield in an effort to show the woman what he had. She later told police Schaffer looked "infuriated" as he lifted and set down the green pouch on his dashboard several times before finally pulling out a metallic object.

The woman said after a moment she realized the metal object in Schaffer's hand was a pistol.

Continuing to follow his victims, Schaffer reportedly lifted the weapon several times, pointing it at the woman's car and making exaggerated movements with it so the woman was sure to see what he had.

(Sign up for our free daily newsletters and Breaking News Alerts for the Oregon Patch)

At this point "terrified and scared for her life," according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Patch, the woman reportedly called police and explained what was happening. Dispatchers encouraged the woman to drive to the Newport Police Department.

Still following the woman, Schaffer was pulled over by officers as he neared the police department.

Once stopped, Schaffer reportedly told one officer he was trying to make sure the woman saw the gun and that he followed her in the hopes she would pull over "to talk with him on the side of the road."

Schaffer also reportedly conceded that his actions were enough to reasonably frighten someone.

Following Schaffer's arrest, officers located the green bag the woman described and the silver 9mm pistol still sitting on Schaffer's dashboard. The bag reportedly contained a holster and handgun magazine.

Wednesday's incident with Schaffer marks the second arrest since Aug. 5 involving someone who pointed a gun at another person.

Not even two weeks ago Terry Eugene McCutcheon allegedly pulled a gun and threatened to shoot three men who were playing music from a cell phone as they walked past McCutcheon's truck in a parking lot — where McCutcheon had reportedly stopped while drunkenly driving through town.

McCutcheon, not enjoying the tunes, asked the men to play something better. They responded indignantly, essentially telling McCutcheon 'no'. In response, McCutcheon pulled the firearm, chambered a round, and pointed it the three men — all of whom quickly ran away.

Afterward, when he was interviewed by officers, McCutcheon admitted he pulled the gun and loaded it in an attempt to scare the three men. He also said he knew right away that he'd made a mistake.

For his part, McCutcheon was charged with three counts of menacing, unlawful use of a weapon and pointing a firearm at another person.

Booking photo for Christopher Schaffer via Newport Police Department