Boys arrested for aiming toy gun at woman

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2006

Two Potomac teens were arrested for flashing a toy gun at a woman last week, prompting police to remind people that using toy weapons can have serious consequences.

At about 9:55 p.m. on Thursday, a 29-year-old Rockville woman reported that two boys had aimed a gun at her while driving near the intersection of Westlake Drive and Tuckerman Lane in Bethesda, according to Montgomery County Police.

The two brothers, ages 13 and 16, were riding in a red 1999 Mercury Mountaineer with their father when the traffic light turned green.

After the woman blew her horn to indicate the light change, the boys aimed at least one toy gun at her, police said.

An officer stopped the vehicle near their residence. Their father indicated that he knew there were toy guns in the car, but did not know that his sons pointed them at anyone.

Inside the car, the officer found two toy guns, one of which appeared to be a submachine gun.

The brothers were arrested and charged as juveniles with first-degree assault and released to the custody of their father, police said.

Under state law, first-degree assault is a felony that can carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

Using a toy weapon in a crime carries the same charge and possible jail time as using a real weapon, police said.

However, the boys could face a lesser punishment.

‘‘A judge has a great deal of discretion into the penalty in this sort of case,” said Lucille Baur, police spokeswoman. ‘‘With young people, there’s a lot of latitude.”