WASHINGTON — A woman said another motorist pointed a gun at her while she was checking her tires on the side of the road in Manassas, Virginia on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old woman told the Prince William County police she was flagged down on Dumfries Road, near Purcell Road, by another motorist in a white mid-sized SUV just before 9 a.m. She claimed a man inside the vehicle falsely claimed one of her tires was flat.
When she pulled to the side of the road and got out to inspect her tires, the SUV stopped as well, police said, and two white men got out of it and walked toward her.
One of the men pointed a gun at her, police said; then, after a brief exchange, the two men went back to their vehicle and drove off. The woman called 911 when she arrived home.
The woman was not hurt and the men did not demand any property from the woman, police said. They added that the woman did not know the men.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, where someone pulls up behind you as you check your vehicle on the side of the road, Sgt. Jonathan Perok with Prince William County police said to consider moving the car to a more populated area if you can.
“Pretty much going to an area that’s more occupied, like a business center, would probably be best,” Perok said.
He added that while in some cases, it could just be a good Samaritan looking to help, you need to follow your gut and always keep your cellphone with you in case you need to call 911.
Anyone who may have seen what happened, or knows anything that can help detectives, is asked to call the Prince William County police at 703-792-7000 or submit a tip on the police department’s website.
