Dale Riley

Indiana State Excise Police officers arrested a Pierceton man today after he displayed a firearm while driving on U.S. 30 in Fort Wayne.

Dale Riley, 51, was taken into custody on a preliminary charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Class C felony.

Around 11:05 a.m., an excise officer in an unmarked police vehicle was driving east on U.S. 30, near Kroemer Road, when Riley’s Toyota Corolla abruptly merged into the officer’s lane, causing him to brake in order to avoid a collision. Riley raised his arms in an angry manner.

The officer then saw Riley raise a handgun and point it to the roof of his car “in an angry manner” two or three times. While the firearm was still pointed toward the roof of the vehicle, the officer saw Riley appeared to be chambering a round into the handgun.

Officers stopped the vehicle and located a Skyy 9mm handgun. They also located a Bushnell radar gun used to measure speed and an in-car video camera system.

Riley was arrested and taken to the Allen County Jail on a preliminary charge of intimidation with a deadly weapon. He will appear in Allen Superior Court at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

As the enforcement division of the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, the primary mission of the Indiana State Excise Police is to promote public safety by enforcing Indiana’s Alcoholic Beverage Code. While excise officers have the authority to enforce any state law, they focus primarily on alcohol, tobacco and related laws.