Joel Suero
An Atlantic City man is jailed after he allegedly threatened to shoot another motorist during a road rage incident.
Police were called to the first block of North Arkansas Avenue at about 11:45 a.m. Monday, by a driver who reported he was threatened by another driver, according to the charges.
The victim told police he was driving west on Atlantic Avenue when he did not allow the suspect in a Black Chevy Cruze to merge into his lane.
The man said he then pulled into the Circle K to get gas, when the car pulled up next to him.
"Next time, you'll get shot in the face," the suspect said, according to the victim.
The two occupants were in a vehicle that was higher than the suspect's car, and told police they were able to see a handgun in between the man's legs because of their view.
The suspect never brandished the weapon, according to police. He then sped off.
Officer Heriberto Barrios-Gomez got the suspect's license plate from surveillance video.
The vehicle was found in the 3800 block of Atlantic Avenue by Officer Matthew Schmidt.
Joel Suero, 40, was positively identified and arrested.
A black 9mm Polymer 80 handgun that matched the one described by the couple was found under the driver's seat, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.
There were nine hollow-point founds inside the magazine, the affidavit states.
Police also found eight Ecstasy pills on Suero.
He is in the Atlantic County Justice Facility awaiting a detention hearing set for Friday.
Suero appeared briefly in court via video from the jail Tuesday.
"I just have one thing to say is that I didn't threaten anybody," he started to tell the judge before he was warned not to say anything.
"I am going to let you speak if you wish, but I highly recommend you do not get into any facts regarding the case," Judge Timothy Maguire told him. "Anything you say now can only hurt you and it can't help you."
The judge then recommended that, if Suero had anything pertinent to his case, he share that with his public defender in preparation for Friday's hearing.
"Understood," Suero replied.
He then said he did not have anything to say.
Suero is charged unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, possession of hollow-point ammunition, terroristic threats and possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
