Authorities took the son of Allentown’s police chief into custody Friday night after he allegedly pointed a loaded handgun at plain clothes detectives in what is being called a “road rage incident.”

According to WFMZ, police arrested 22-year-old Christopher Fitzgerald, son of Allentown Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald, and charged him with simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. He was released on bail Saturday.

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According to court documents, plain clothes detectives were in a car trailing the younger Fitzgerald’s white Nissan when he ‘braked-checked them,” stepping on the brakes multiple times. Believing that he had almost caused an accident, the detectives pulled alongside Fitzgerald’s car.

According to the detectives, Fitzgerald opened his car door and pointed a handgun on them, causing the detectives to put their car in reverse and call for backup.

Whitehall Police later found and arrested Christopher Fitzgerald stopped in the Lehigh Valley Mall parking lot.

Court documents describe the gun as a Glock loaded with 16 rounds.

Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald told the Allentown Morning Call that he hopes the public will withhold judgment until the whole story comes out.

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“My son has been raised by police officers and respects law enforcement. It is very difficult for me to believe that he would do any thing to harm a police officer, ” he said. “I don’t know what happened, but I think there is more to this story than what we’re hearing so far. I for one will withhold judgment until he has his day in court.’

According to the chief, his son was driving his girlfriend to work at the mall when the incident occurred, and that the couple’s 1-year-old son was also in the vehicle.

Fitzgerald took over as the police chief of Allentown after serving in the same capacity in Missouri City, MO.

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[Police chief image from Allentown PD website]