Motorist Arrested After Gun Pulled On I-75: Troopers

SARASOTA, FL — The Florida Highway Patrol has announced the arrest of a 26-year-old man from Venice after an alleged Wednesday road rage incident on Interstate 75 in the Sarasota area.

According to the patrol, troopers were called around 3 p.m. July 19 after an alleged road rage incident involving a gun unfolded on I-75 southbound, north of State Road 681. Troopers eventually located the suspect vehicle, a 2011 Chevrolet Impala, on U.S. 41 at Roberts Road, an email from the agency said.

Get the Sarasota Patch newsletter and alerts in your inbox.

Troopers say the driver of the Impala, Christopher Allen Banach, pulled out a Smith & Wesson .38 revolver and pointed at another driver on I-75.

Banach was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, displaying a firearm in the commission of a felony, two counts of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of cannabis with intent to sell and five counts of possession of paraphernalia following the patrol's investigation.

Banach was booked into the Sarasota County Jail following his arrest and remained there Thursday morning.

The incident has troopers reminding motorists that the patrol can be contacted by dialing *FHP from a cellphone when aggressive or impaired motorists are spotted on roadways.

Keep up with what’s happening by following Sarasota Patch on Facebook.

Booking photo courtesy of the Sarasota County Jail