Man pulled gun on another driver on Williston exit ramp, police say

Elizabeth Murray | Burlington Free Press

A man pulled a gun in the middle of a Williston exit ramp on another driver who had punched him in the face Monday morning in what Vermont State Police are calling a road rage fight.

Police noted the potential danger of a gun being pointed as cars continued to flow by on the exit ramp from Interstate 89 to Williston around 7:30 a.m.

State police say Ethan J. Connor, 29, of Waterbury and Nicholas M. Mallow, 30, of Richmond were traveling north on Interstate 89 on Monday morning when Connor began to speed and tailgate Mallow. Both left the interstate at exit 12.

On the exit ramp, Mallow confronted Connor and punched him in the face with a closed fist. Connor then took out a Ruger .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol from a holster underneath his steering wheel, got out of his vehicle and pointed the gun at Mallow as Mallow walked back to his truck, police said.

Cpl. Andrew Leise said the two men were in the middle of the exit ramp when the encounter occurred, in the left lane.

"Vermont State Police remind citizens to refrain from road rage incidents on Vermont roads," the news release stated.

Connor and Mallow each have been issued citations to appear in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington in September. Connor's citation was issued on suspicion of negligent driving and reckless endangerment. Mallow's was issued on suspicion of simple assault, according to a news release.

Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LizMurrayBFP.