Troopers pulled over a 2005 Ford-150 for a vehicle and traffic law violation in Ulster County on Institution Road in the town of Napanoch at about 11 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 2, according to New York State Police.
The driver, identified as 31-year-old David Stephens, of Accord, reached for what police believed to be a handgun and pointed it at the trooper approaching the Ford, police said.
The trooper ordered Stephens to drop the gun, and Stephens complied, State Police said.
Police said Stephens was then arrested.
Authorities later determined that the gun was a pellet gun, and Stephens was under the influence of alcohol, police said.
His BAC from a breath test was .17 percent, police said.
Police said Stephens was charged with the following felonies:
- Aggravated driving while intoxicated
- Third-degree criminal possession of a weapon
- Menacing a police officer
State Police said Stephens was also charged with circumvention of an interlock device, which is a misdemeanor.
He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance with a return date of Friday, Jan. 7, police said.
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