A 61-year-old man is accused of pulling a knife and gun on a motorist during an alleged road rage incident Sunday morning in Wesley Chapel.
Edgardo Asencio of Land O' Lakes now faces aggravated assault charges.
According to the victim, who asked ABC Action News to conceal his identity, Asencio tried slashing him in the chest with the knife at least twice before going back to his car and getting a gun.
It happened shortly before noon in the Hardee's drive-thru lane.
The victim says he had just ordered breakfast when Asencio blocked him in while in the drive-thru lane.
Asencio got out of his Nissan pickup truck armed with a pocketknife and began swinging the open knife from side to side as he walked toward the victim's 2004 Chrysler convertible, Pasco County deputies say.
At the time the convertible top on the car was down, and the victim says he felt he did not have much protection so he began backing up through the drive-thru lane. He ended up hitting the curb and could not back up any farther.
The man got out of the car and says he tried talking to Asencio. The man added he had never seen Asencio before.
Deputies say Asencio got very close to the man and swung the knife, trying to slash the victim in the chest.
That's when Asencio walked back to his car, deputies say.
The victim told ABC Action News he thought Asencio was leaving but instead grabbed a small black handgun from his truck, walked back toward him and pointed the gun at his head.
The victim does not remember what Asencio said because he was so terrified he remained still, an arrest affidavit states.
"He walked up to me with the gun, was holding it over his head and pointing it down towards my forehead. It was at least six to eight inches from my forehead. I was staring at the barrel of this gun on top of my head and I just kept telling him, 'You are crazy, your are crazy, what are you doing? What are you doing?'" he recalled.
Asencio, according to the victim, lowered the gun, walked back to his truck and drove away.
The victim says he got his food through the drive-thru, called 911 and began following Asencio.
The man followed Asencio to the Walgreens at 27230 Wesley Chapel Boulevard in Lutz.
Deputies found Asencio sitting on the tailgate of his truck at the Walgreens.
Asencio reportedly gave deputies permission to go into his truck and get the handgun.
Asencio said the gun did not have a clip in it and that he had a concealed carry permit, an arrest affidavit states.
Deputies found a Berretta .32 caliber semi automatic handgun wedged between the passenger seat and center console, according to an incident report.
The gun had no clip but there was one round in the chamber, according to deputies.
During an interview, deputies say Asencio explained how he had just turned east on Wesley Chapel Boulevard when a red Chrysler tried to merge into his lane.
According to Asencio, he was driving the proper speed and noticed the Chrysler trying to merge into his lane. Asencio said he had the right of way so he continued to stay in his lane.
Asencio felt this got the driver of the Chrysler upset because as they drove east the driver of the Chrysler began tailgating him.
According to Asencio, as he turned into the Grand Oaks subdivision, the driver of the Chrysler beeped his horn and gave him the middle finger.
Asencio felt the gesture was a sign of disrespect, an arrest affidavit states.
Instead of going home, deputies say Asencio admitted to making a U-turn and that he was determined to find the driver of the Chrysler.
He found the car in the Hardee's drive-thru and claims the driver kept disrespecting him.
Asencio claims words were exchanged and the driver of the Chrysler walked to his trunk. Asencio says he was not sure if the man was going to pull out a shotgun from the truck so he "pulled a piece," deputies noted.
Deputies say the driver of the Chrysler never verbally said he was going to the trunk to get a weapon.
The victim has admitted giving Asencio the middle finger but says that did not warrant him to pull weapons.
Deputies say Asencio admitted to having an anger problem.
Deputies also found the knife in his car.
Tune in to ABC Action News at 6 p.m. to hear from the alleged victim.
