JASON TAYLOR, JR.
SALINE CO.— A Stonefort man is facing a weapons charged after he admitted to police that he displayed a handgun during a verbal altercation regarding him speeding past children at play.
According to reports filed in the case, on August 21, at approximately 5:01 p.m. Harrisburg Police Department (HPD) officers were dispatched to 509 West Robinson St., Harrisburg on a report of a male pulling a gun.
Responding HPD officer Nathan Moore arrived on scene a short time later and met with complainant Michael Henson and several male juveniles.
Moore was told that the young males, ranging from ages 11-16, were playing in a yard and on the sidewalk, near the roadway, when a white Chevrolet Lumina with a handicap plate drove by at a high rate of speed and the oldest male outside at the time, identified as Skye Henson, yelled at the male driver, later identified as Robert Jason Taylor, Jr., 37, of 412 Vine St., Stonefort, to “slow down!”
Officer Moore was old that Taylor slammed on his brakes leaving skid marks, turned around, came back and asked Henson what he had said.
Henson repeated that Taylor needed to slow down and Taylor is said to have agreed but felt compelled to tell Henson not to be smart about it.
Henson said he replied by telling Taylor that he didn’t need to be smart about it.
Taylor is then said to have gotten out of the vehicle and start cussing at Henson, who said that his brothers went into their home to get their father.
Michael Henson said he came out of the house to run off Taylor and told him he needed to get in his car and leave.
And that’s about the time Taylor, who was standing in the roadway, is said to have informed Michael Henson that some people carry guns and proceeded to lift his shirt displaying a Walther PPK .22 caliber handgun tucked into his waistband.
He is then said to have gotten back into his car and drive away.
Officer Moore located the vehicle parked in the driveway at Taylor’s residence
After making sure he was unarmed, Moore spoke Taylor who admitted to having the verbal altercation and surprisingly to possessing and displaying the handgun.
Taylor explained that the gun did not have a live round in the chamber, as if that would make any difference, and that he only displayed his weapon because Michael insinuated that he had a gun and reached behind his back like he was reaching for a gun.
Taylor said that Henson only retrieved a cell phone.
He told Moore that the Walther was secure inside the residence, locked in a safe.
However, when Moore retrieved the weapon it was located underneath a towel, on a dresser, holstered and with a magazine inserted into the magazine well and a live round in the chamber.
Taylor was taken into custody and charged with Unlawful Use of a Weapon for carrying the gun on his person at a time when he was not on his own property, place of business, the property of another person giving permission or having a concealed carry permit.
Taylor doesn’t have much of a criminal history in Saline County.
He was arrested April 9, 1998 and charged with Unlawful Possession of Cannabis less than 2.5 grams, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Disregarding a Traffic Control Device.
On June 26, 2008 Taylor pleaded to the traffic violation in return for the remainder of the charges being dismissed and was sentenced to conditional discharge for six months and ordered to pay $275 in fines and fees.
Taylor was released from police custody August 28 after posting a $1,000 cash bond.