If you get mad at someone on the road, just let it be. No good is going to come of it, even if you think they seriously slighted you. Beaverton, Oregon police arrested a man they say drove recklessly while pursuing another motorist after a road rage confrontation, at one point driving in reverse for more than a mile. Officers responded to the incident in south Beaverton around 7:25 a.m. on Sunday, July 26. The driver was identified as 29-year-old Arman K. Hastings of Beaverton. He was booked into the Washington County Jail on charges of reckless driving and menacing.
Hastings allegedly entered oncoming lanes of traffic, intentionally cut off the other driver’s vehicle, and drove in reverse for over a mile while continuing to chase the other driver. There was no apparent explanation for why he got so upset, strangely enough. But it seems he was perturbed enough to behave in such a manner for quite some time.
The victim was in his vehicle with his wife when things went down. He reported that Hastings repeatedly reached toward his coat in a way that led the victim to believe he was reaching for a firearm. Fearing for their safety, the couple drove directly to the Beaverton Police Department.
Officers located Hastings and took him into custody. During the arrest, police said they found a black airsoft handgun in Hastings’ jacket pocket. The department said the incident was captured on the victim’s dashcam and rear-facing camera, and has released portions of that video to show the dangers of aggressive and reckless driving. Now, the driver will be facing charges for his behavior.
What Charges Hastings Faces in Oregon
Reckless driving in Oregon is a Class A misdemeanor, defined as “driving in a way that shows a reckless disregard for the safety of people or property,” and it comes with a maximum of 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $6,250. Entering oncoming lanes and cutting off another vehicle during a pursuit is the kind of driving the statute is written to cover, and that’s typically the kind of things you see with a road rage incident.
Menacing is the charge tied to the fear the victim described. Under Oregon law, a person commits menacing by intentionally trying to place another person in fear of imminent serious physical injury, and it’s also a Class A misdemeanor. The victim’s report that Hastings reached toward his coat as if for a firearm is the type of act that can support a menacing charge, and the airsoft handgun officers said they found does not have to be a real firearm for the charge to apply.
Why Road Rage Can Blow Up So Quickly
People get mad, and they want to do something about it. In short, incidents like this one show how fast a little traffic dispute can turn dangerous once one driver decides to go after another. Something as simple as a lane change or a perceived slight gets worse when a driver treats the other car as a target. They start cutting off, blocking, or chasing the driver and put everyone else on the road at risk. Driving in reverse for more than a mile can make everything even worse, and not to mention it’s incredibly hard to do safely.
So what should you do? Don’t engage at all. Avoid eye contact and gestures and don’t drive straight home. Instead, drive to a place where help is available, which is what the Beaverton couple did by going straight to the police department. Calling 911 and letting officers handle the other driver is safer than trying to lose them or confront them.
And if you get someone to assist, you don’t have to worry about relying on dashcam footage to tell the entire story should things escalate.