Mar 14, 2015 2 min read

An Avella man was arrested by McDonald police after he allegedly waved a fully loaded 9 mm handgun at four good Samaritans who were trying to help him after he crashed his vehicle just before midnight on Route 844 (Washington Pike) in Independence Township.

Edward Patrick Hayes, 60, of 78 First St., is accused of twice waving the weapon at the four people before dropping it when he fell to the middle of the road.

Police initially received a report of a man trying to flee the scene of a crash. A man who lives in the area of the crash told police he saw it and went to help. A woman and two men who were driving by also stopped to help.

Hayes reportedly pointed the weapon at the four from inside his vehicle. All four ran to safety. Hayes then staggered out of his vehicle and again waved the weapon in their direction before he fell to the ground and started crawling across Route 844, losing the weapon, police said.

Two sheriff’s deputies from Brooke County, W.Va., arrived and took Hayes into custody. They also secured the fully loaded gun. Hayes was taken into custody by McDonald police when they arrived. He was taken to Washington Hospital, where blood was drawn to determine his blood-alcohol content.

Hayes was arraigned before District Judge Joshua Kanalis on four counts each of aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment and terroristic threats, two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol and one count each of possessing instruments of a crime and careless driving. He was placed in Washington County jail on $30,000 bond. Hayes is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 24 before District Judge Ethan Ward.