An East Cocalico Township woman charged with brandishing a gun and firing it into the air during a road rage incident will have her case proceed to county court after she waived her preliminary hearing earlier this month.
Kimberly Paige Gonzalez, of the first block of Pinewood Avenue, waived her preliminary hearing before Judge Raymond Sheller on June 16 on charges of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, harassment and five summary traffic offenses.
Gonzalez, 38, is accused of firing the weapon into the air twice while aggressively driving alongside a woman’s vehicle along Laurel Road in Caernarvon Township the afternoon of Dec. 17.
The victim told police a vehicle later determined to belong to Gonzalez nearly crashed into her while attempting to pass both her and a box truck ahead of her, after which she began tailgating the victim aggressively. At one point Gonzalez produced a handgun and fired it twice into the air, the victim said.
Police were able to identify Gonzalez based on photographs the victim took of her vehicle which included her license plate.
When questioned by police Gonzalez admitted to taking part in the incident and to owning a weapon, but denied brandishing it or firing it, claiming that she only made hand gestures towards the victim.
Though no empty shell casings were found along the road, a search of Gonzalez’s vehicle uncovered a partially loaded handgun that was missing two bullets, consistent with the victim’s recollection of the weapon being fired twice.
Gonzalez is currently free on $5,000 unsecured bail.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Joshua Mease filed the charges.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.