Man arrested for pulling gun during La Grande road rage incident
By Joe Hathaway on Thursday, June 13th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE — A man was arrested following a road rage incident in La Grande on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.
Kenneth Michael Bevan, 24, was taken into custody by the La Grande Police Department and lodged in the Union County Jail on multiple charges, including unlawful use of a weapon, reckless driving, menacing, and pointing a firearm at another person.
The incident occurred around 2:32 p.m. on Interstate 84. A report was transferred to the La Grande Police Department after a person reported that a driver of a gray KIA Optima had pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the victim, who was in a separate vehicle. The suspect vehicle exited the interstate and entered La Grande, according to the report.
Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen located the vehicle based on the victim’s description. Officers from the La Grande Police Department, with assistance from the Union County Sheriff’s Office and the Oregon State Police, conducted a traffic stop.
During the investigation, officers interviewed the drivers of both vehicles. The victim provided a detailed description of the gun, which led officers to seize a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun found in the driver’s seat area of the suspect vehicle.
Authorities determined that the incident stemmed from road rage. Bevan was arrested and charged accordingly. Another suspected fully automatic rifle was also seized from the vehicle. The La Grande Police Department is working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in an ongoing investigation into additional weapon charges.
All parties involved cooperated with the police during the investigation.
