Racine County road rage arrest; man accused of pointing gun at teens

Man accused of pointing gun at teens in Racine County road rage incident

A 52-year-old Oak Creek man faces charges after investigators say he followed teens to their Racine County school during a road rage incident and pointed a handgun at their vehicle.

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. - An Oak Creek man was taken into custody after he allegedly brandished a gun in a Racine County school parking lot following a road rage incident. 

School locked down

What we know:

According to the Racine County Sheriff's Office, on March 6, around 2:45 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the R.E.A.L. School in Sturtevant for a report of a man with a gun in the school parking lot. 

The school immediately went into lockdown. A perimeter was established, and it was determined that the suspect left before law enforcement arrived.

In custody

Dig deeper:

Sheriff’s investigators later identified 52-year-old Charles Lindley of Oak Creek as the suspect. 

Charles Lindley

Investigators say five teens were driving from Kenosha back to their school when Lindley began following them. Authorities say the confrontation escalated around 2:45 p.m. when the teens pulled into the Goodwill parking lot next to the R.E.A.L. School.

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Investigators say Lindley pulled out a handgun during the confrontation.

"To rise to the level of pointing a firearm at kids is sheer stupidity," said Lt. Michael Luell with the Racine County Sheriff’s Office.

"He took a magazine and inserted it into that handgun, racked the slide, which presumably is going to put a round in the chamber and pointed the handgun at the car full of students," Luell said.

Authorities say the teens then drove to their school, with Lindley allegedly following behind them. The students ran inside the building while the suspect left the area.

"It’s something that’s scary for anyone, but definitely for teenagers," said Capt. Cary Madrigal with the Racine County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrived within three minutes, placing the school on lockdown while investigators worked to identify the suspect using surveillance footage that captured the vehicle and license plate.

Dig deeper:

Sheriff’s investigators on Monday, March 9, conducted a search warrant on Lindley’s Oak Creek residence, where he was taken into custody.

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Lindley was transported to the Racine County Jail where he is being held on $10,150 cash bail for the following offenses:

• Endangering Safety – Reckless Use of a Firearm
• Possession of a Firearm on School Grounds
• Disorderly Conduct

"On Friday, he made some poor decisions that are going to greatly affect his life," Luell said. "There’s nothing that can be done that equates to pointing a handgun at five teenage kids."

The Racine Unified School District said it is grateful to law enforcement for the quick response and investigation.

What's next:

The investigators have forwarded charging recommendations to the Racine County District Attorney’s Office for criminal prosecution.