LAS CRUCES - A Las Cruces man was arrested late Wednesday evening in connection with an alleged rush hour road rage incident in the 2300 block of East Lohman Avenue.

Brenden K. Chavez, 23, is charged with one count of shooting at a house, dwelling or vehicle, which is a fourth-degree felony, one count of aggravated assault, also a fourth-degree felony, and two counts of the failure to appear for a scheduled court date.

Upon his arrest, Chavez told police he thought a couple driving a white truck were following him, so he stopped his car, grabbed his shotgun and fired a round into the air.

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Police report that they found the .410 sawed-off shotgun in a duffel bag under the driver's seat of the Toyota Corolla he was driving.

When the alleged incident happened, Chavez was driving the Corolla with acquaintance Paul Scott in the driver's seat and Scott's wife in the backseat. Scott owns the car and told police that he let Chavez drive.

Chavez and the other occupants of the Corolla were at the Speedway gas station on Lohman Avenue at the same time as the occupants of a white pickup truck, about 5 p.m. police reports indicate.

A woman inside the truck later told police she recognized Chavez as "Smokey."

As the vehicles left the gas station, the pickup truck followed the Corolla onto Lohman.

Near the intersection of Lohman and Walton Boulevard, a block east of the Speedway, Chavez allegedly parked the Corolla he was driving in the middle of Lohman, got out of his vehicle and pointed the shotgun toward the truck.

Police report Chavez then allegedly got back into his vehicle, closed the door and fired the shotgun into the air before fleeing

Scott later confirmed to police that he saw Chavez stop the vehicle and discharge the weapon into the air.

Chavez was later arrested at an apartment on Telshor Boulevard.

Bethany Freudenthal can be reached at bfreudenthal@lcsun-news.com, 575-541-5449 or @bethanyfreuden1 on Twitter.

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