Traffic misunderstanding leads to shootout in Tacoma
A man driving an SUV tries to pull around a stopped car on a Tacoma street. A passenger in the car holds a gun out the window and points it at the man. The man in the SUV opts not to pass.
Soon people in both vehicles are firing weapons at each other.
The random traffic incident that escalated into a shootout Thursday started near South 21st and South I streets.
On Monday, Christopher Jones was ordered jailed in lieu of $1 million bail after pleading not guilty to first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
As a convicted felon, he is not allowed to have guns.
His 34-year-old wife, Maria Jones, pleaded not guilty last week to similar charges and is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Charging papers gave this account:
The SUV driver was traveling west on South 21st Street when he came upon a car stopped in the middle of the street. After waiting several minutes for the car to move, the SUV driver decided to go around it.
He fell back behind the car after it accelerated forward.
The two vehicles continued driving until Christopher Jones pointed a gun out the passenger window at the SUV driver, who told him to knock it off.
Jones said it was just a BB gun and encouraged the other man to drive around their car. The SUV driver later told police he was too afraid so he stayed put.
When both vehicles stopped the SUV driver saw Christopher Jones loading a gun. The other man sought cover behind his SUV and hid as Jones opened fire.
The SUV driver used a registered gun kept in his vehicle to fire back.
The car sped away but quickly returned and the men exchanged fire once again. The car returned a third time just as a patrol officer drove by and saw the SUV driver, standing in the street and holding a handgun.
“When he sees police, he drops his handgun, moves to the side of the road and lay on the ground,” according to charging papers.
The man directed police toward the Jones’ car, which was stopped nearby by another officer.
As the officer approached the car, Christopher Jones flipped the officer off and ordered his wife to grab a camera. She yelled profanities throughout the arrest.
The SUV and car were riddled with bullet holes, records show. No one was wounded in the shootout.
Police said they found nearly 200 anti-anxiety pills, a revolver, ammunition and a BB gun in the car, which is registered to Maria Jones.
Stacia Glenn: 253-597-8653
This story was originally published June 27, 2016 at 2:27 PM with the headline "Traffic misunderstanding leads to shootout in Tacoma."