A tense moment on I-895 near the Potee Street exit has turned into a full-blown criminal case, after Maryland Transportation Authority Police say a 50-year-old Baltimore man pointed a gun at another driver during a roadside confrontation.
Detectives say the encounter was first reported on May 11, when a motorist told investigators that a driver in a white Chevrolet pickup pulled out a firearm during an apparent bout of road rage. Officers obtained an arrest warrant and identified the suspect as Phillip Vancouyghen.
According to WBAL‑TV, Vancouyghen surrendered Tuesday night at the Jennifer Road Detention Center after investigators served the warrant. The station reports he is charged with first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and related offenses, and that detectives are continuing to investigate.
WBAL reported that MDTA police obtained the arrest warrant and that the case remains under investigation, echoing the agency’s account and identifying the vehicle in question as a white Chevrolet pickup.
Charges and legal implications
Vancouyghen is charged with first-degree assault, a felony under Maryland law that includes assault with a firearm and carries a potential sentence of up to 25 years in prison. Maryland Code § 3-202 defines first-degree assault to include assaults committed with a firearm.
MDTA response and local road-rage context
The Maryland Transportation Authority Police, which patrols tollways and interstates, including I-895, has investigated similar road-rage incidents involving firearms on area highways in recent years, according to the agency’s police postings. MDTA Police have previously announced arrests following assaults with firearms on I-895.
Baltimore prosecutors will decide whether to file formal charges and set court dates, and Vancouyghen is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. Court filings and MDTA updates will show the next steps as the case moves forward.
