Gothenburg man charged with road rage for pointing a gun on Interstate 80

DAWSON COUNTY, Neb. – A Gothenburg man has been accused of pointing a gun at a driver during an alleged road rage incident over the weekend.

Austen Chestnutt, 19, is charged in Dawson County Court with making terroristic threats and using a firearm to commit a felony.

According to an affidavit, around 1 p.m. Saturday, a man reported that he was traveling on Interstate 80 between Cozad and Lexington when Chestnutt pointed a gun at him as the man tried to pass him during a “traffic riot.” The man told law enforcement that Chestnutt was driving a black 2005 Chevy Silverado and exited at the Cozad exit.

The affidavit states that a Dawson County sheriff’s deputy later contacted Chestnutt at his home in Gothenburg and retrieved a revolver allegedly used in the incident from Chestnutt, who voluntarily gave it to the deputy.

A Nebraska State Patrol trooper then took possession of the revolver and took Chestnutt to the Dawson County Jail.