Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: George Lopez was arrested and booked into jail on a charge of disorderly conduct/reckless display of a weapon.
By Jon Johnson
GRAHAM COUNTY – A man camping with his wife was taken into custody and booked into jail on Saturday after allegedly threatening people looking for rocks in the area with a gun.
George Lopez, 45, was arrested and booked on a charge of disorderly conduct/reckless display of a weapon.
The incident reportedly occurred in the area of Haekel Road and Gas Line Road just east of Solomon.
According to a Graham County Sheriff’s Office report, a couple said they were rockhounding – searching for rocks on the ground – around noon, and as they were leaving the area they drove a trail that circled Lopez’s gold Chrysler 200.
As they drove the trail, the couple said they saw Lopez in his vehicle and then were startled to notice he was pointing a handgun at them. At that point, the couple said they yelled they were only looking for rocks and to stop pointing a firearm at them. The couple said Lopez then exited his vehicle and began to run after them.
The couple then called the authorities.
Responding deputies were at the intersection of Haekel Road and U.S. Highway 70 when the suspect’s gold Chrysler 200 was spotted northbound on Haekel Road. The deputies performed a high-risk stop due to the nature of the call with a deadly weapon and took the occupants into temporary custody.
When questioned about the incident, Lopez allegedly said a vehicle had repeatedly shined its headlights and flashlights into his car the previous night and believed the couple rockhounding – who were there at noon – was the same car from the previous night. Lopez said he became concerned when the vehicle began driving toward his car so he began to yell at them what they were doing.
Lopez’s wife reportedly told a deputy that she never saw Lopez point his gun because she was looking at the car and that her husband would not show the occupants his firearm because he is “very gun safe and would never do this.” However, the victims stated Lopez was in the driver’s seat and reached over the top of his passenger to point the gun out the passenger’s side window.
In Lopez’s reported statement to police, he admitted to holding the gun up in its holster while telling the couple to “leave him alone.” The victims stated he brandished the gun at them without the holster.
The handgun – a black and green 9mm Glock, was taken as evidence, as well as its brown leather holster and magazine loaded with 15 ballpoint 9mm rounds.
Lopez was then arrested for disorderly conduct/reckless display of a weapon and booked into jail. Since Lopez’s wife did not have a driver’s license, the vehicle was secured on the side of the road and she and her animals were given a ride to a local hotel.
