Local News in Brief : Motorist Arrested in Incident With Rifle

A Shadow Hills man was arrested after he brandished a rifle at another motorist who, in turn, grabbed him in a headlock and repeatedly smashed his head into a car door, authorities said Sunday.

Lawrence Whitman, 33, was jailed Saturday on suspicion of brandishing a firearm at the occupant of a vehicle, illegal possession of a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon, said Lt. Dennis Burns of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Richard Green, 30, of Saugus told deputies that he was driving on Bouquet Canyon Road in Saugus about 7:30 p.m. when the car driven by Whitman began to follow closely behind his vehicle. Green said that he motioned for the other driver to pass, but when the two cars pulled up to the stoplight at Alamogordo Road, Whitman jumped out of his car with a rifle and began shouting at Green.

Green got out of his car, grabbed Whitman and put him in a headlock, Burns said. As the two men were struggling for the gun, Green repeatedly smashed Whitman’s head into his car door, Burns said.

A passing motorist, who said that Whitman had speeded past him earlier, stopped and grabbed the gun away from Whitman, who gave up and waited for deputies to arrive.

Green suffered a bite to the hand during the struggle and sought his own treatment, Burns said. He said Whitman was treated for minor injuries at the scene.