WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A local high school football coach is facing charges after he was accused of pointing a gun at other drivers in Winter Haven.
The sheriff's office said Don Wayne Wise, Jr., 33, was arrested Sunday, June 18, and charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest.
Wise, a football coach at Lake Wales High School, is accused of pointing a handgun at the victims on Cypress Gardens Boulevard at Overlook Drive. Detectives responded to the area around 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
According to a press release and affidavit, the victims said they were driving when a blue Nissan Rogue merged into their lane twice close to their vehicle. When they stopped at a light at the intersection, the victims said the Rogue was in the left lane with the passenger side window down.
One of the victims said they told the man driving, identified by authorities as Wise, "You merged into my lane twice." At that point, the victims claim Wise pointed the gun at them "for a full 30 seconds," the press release said.
The victims described Wise to authorities, and a check of the Rogue's tag led authorities to Wise's home.
Just after 4 p.m., authorities went to Wise's home in Winter Haven. The sheriff's office said when Wise answered the door, he was "visibly upset" and denied being involved in the "road rage" incident described in the arrest affidavit.
Authorities said Wise told them he was on Cypress Gardens Boulevard that day "at some point" and said he always carries a firearm. The detective noted in the affidavit that he saw a handgun in a holster on Wise's waist when he crossed his arms and his shirt lifted up. The detective left when Wise refused to answer any more questions, the release said.
The sheriff's office said the victims picked a photo of Wise out of a lineup.
According to the sheriff's office, Wise refused commands to sit inside a patrol car during his arrest and physically resisted deputies' efforts to put him in the car, which resulted in an additional charge of resisting arrest.
Wise was released from the Polk County Jail after he posted bond.
