LISBON - A man accused of grabbing a loaded gun from his glove box during a traffic stop on Thursday on state Route 14 pleaded not guilty Monday to a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.
William Lewis III, 50, Ellwood City, Pa., will appear for a pretrial on the charge at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 8 in county Municipal Court.
According to a court document, Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Christopher Jester stopped Lewis' vehicle for speeding on state Route 14 after he saw it drive past at a high rate of speed. After Lewis pulled the vehicle over, he stated he saw Lewis lean to the right side of the car before returning to an upright position.
Jester approached the right side of the vehicle and told Lewis to roll down the window, and after Lewis reportedly hesitated, Jester opened the door. Lewis twice opened the driver's side door but closed it after Jester told him to do so, according to a court document.
Jester said he asked Lewis for his registration and Lewis opened the glove compartment, revealing a black handgun, and reached for it. Jester said he reached for the gun as well and removed it from the vehicle.
The gun is listed as a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol loaded with a magazine of 12 rounds with a 13th round in the chamber. It is being held at the Highway Patrol's Lisbon post.
A second Highway Patrol officer responded to the scene and the officers removed Lewis from his vehicle and placed him in a patrol car.
While in the patrol car, Lewis reportedly said he forgot to tell an officer he had a gun in the car and he should not have grabbed it. Officers located a gun permit in his wallet.
