Pennsylvania State Sen. Bob Mensch(R) cited for displaying gun on Interstate 78

[RamboLiberal]

State Sen. Bob Mensch was cited for disorderly conduct last month after brandishing a firearm while driving on Interstate 78 in Berks County, according to Pennsylvania State Police.

Mensch, 65, of Pennsburg, Montgomery County, said he did not publicly display the gun, but did pull one inside his car in self-defense because he felt threatened by an aggressive driver who had followed him into a gas station.

"There was a reason I retrieved the gun," Mensch said. "But it wasn't until I was parked, and this guy didn't want to let up."

State police stopped Mensch after another motorist reported he displayed a black handgun and held it in his right hand while driving on March 9, according to police documents.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/breaking-news/index.ssf/2011/04/state_senator_bob_mensch_cited.html

Mensch said the other driver was tailgating him.

"When I say tailgaiting, I couldn't see his grille in my mirror" for a couple miles," said Mensch, who changed lanes, slowed down, and then drive the speed limit of 65 mph. He said the other driver continued tailgating.

Mensch said he then pulled into a gas station because he on empty and the driver followed him in.

Asked if he felt threatened by the other driver, Mensch said, "I didn't feel comfortable."

http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/27707462/detail.html

If this went down as Mensch said, I side with him. I probably would've done same damn thing. He did not point the gun if his story is truthful at the other driver.

[bahrbearian]

1. I always side with a cowards need to intimidate and provoke with a gun,

[spin]

6. Do you tailgate other drivers for kicks and grins ...

and continue tailgating them when they change lanes, slow down and speed up? If you do, you are definitely intimidating other drivers. A car is also a lethal weapon.

[bahrbearian]

10. Did you see that , or did you read that.

[rl6214]

9. Yeah, just let the bully tailgating follow you to a desolate area

and run you off the road.

Makes sense to me.:sarcasm:

[bahrbearian]

12. Call the cops, go to a gas station , no need to show a weapon.

[spin]

2. I agree with pulling into the gas station ...

and if possible I would have entered the shop where there were witnesses. I would have also called the police, either from the car while driving or while in the shop.

[Logical]

4. +1. But you are rational!

[Logical]

3. Jesus are some gun owners idiots. I bet this guy gets off with no punishment. Most of us would...

lose our CCW license.

[rl6214]

11. Are you jeckyll of hyde today?

You seem to change your stance on guns on a daily basis.

[Logical]

14. How is this changing my stance? Wow, what a unfair attack......

I don't think the guy handled it correctly at all. And he was an idiot for not calling the police.

So if I attack a gun owner who is an idiot that means I am anti-gun?

I'll add you to my "with us 100% or against us 100%" list.

[RamboLiberal]

5. More on the story

Reached for comment this afternoon, Mensch, whose district includes Easton, said he'd felt threatend by the other motorist and was acting to protect himself. Mensch said he did not brandish the weapon at the motorist and that the gun was in "under my suitcoat. I thought it was completely invisible. I don't know what he thinks he saw ... I did nothing to be aggressive toward this guy."

Mensch acknowledged having two weapons in the vehicle with him. One was a .22 caliber handgun that he said he routinely keeps in the car's glovebox and the other was a newly purchased .40-caliber handgun. Mensch described himself as a longtime sportsman and hunter with a respect for the weapons and their proper use and care.

Mensch is also a co-sponsor of legislation expanding the so-called “Castle Doctrine,” which allows people to use deadly force, under certain circumstances, to defend themselves.

Mensch is scheduled to appear in district court on May 9, documents indicate.

http://blogs.mcall.com/capitol_ideas/2011/04/sen-bob-mensch-charged-with-disorderly-conduct.html

Mensch contested the version of events described by police, claiming he was pulling over at a gas station to get away from an aggressive driver, and that the driver followed him as he pulled over.

Mensch said he did not visibly display the gun, nor did he handle it while driving the car.

"Why would anyone do that? No, I did not," he said. "(The police) completely ignored my written report to them. I would be embarrassed if I was them for the bad policing."

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=304395

[spin]

7. A cop once told me that there are always three sides to every story ...

Person A's story, person B's story and the truth.

[Logical]

15. So the guy just "guessed" he had a gun? Wow, amazing. n-t

[rl6214]

8. The other best option would be to pull into a police station.

I've done that before when something similar happened, tailgater of course didn't follow me in.

[jpak]

13. GOP morans brandishing their Great Big Guns

makes 'em feel all warm and fuzzy

yup