PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Bucks County man shot by police during a road rage incident over the weekend is being held on $1 million bail after causing two separate incidents on the road last week.
Court documents show that a judge in Bucks County requested $1 million bail for John Mathis, 44, on Wednesday, after a history of aggressive behavior and bench warrants from open court cases led to him being shot by police.
It all began Saturday, Aug. 2 just before 5:45 pm on northbound Bristol Pike in Bensalem, when Mathis was reportedly on his motorcycle driving aggressively, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors said Mathis began an exchange of words with another driver. He then pulled out a gun, pointed it at the driver and threatened to rob him. After the man drove away, Mathis began following him.
Bensalem Police said officers got in between Mathis and the other vehicle, and gave him verbal commands before he tried to flee. It was then, authorities said, that an officer shot him three times. He was taken to the hospital and placed in stable condition.
According to officials, Mathis also caused two accidents in Bristol Township on July 27, then got out of his car with a baseball bat and hit another driver’s side door and front windshield.
Mathis is expected back in court on Aug. 19 for his preliminary hearing.