A road rage incident took a dangerous turn on Tuesday afternoon when a person displayed a firearm on Interstate 30 eastbound near the 127 mile marker. Hopkins County Communications received a distress call from a concerned individual who provided crucial details about the suspect and their vehicle. The swift action of Hopkins County Deputies B. Murray and Z. Steward led to the arrest of the suspect, identified as Mario Remonde Urquhart of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
The caller, who remained on the line, continuously updated their location, assisting the deputies in locating the suspect vehicle. The caller described a white Ford F-150 with a paper tag, which matched the vehicle eventually stopped by Deputies Murray and Steward. During the stop, a handgun was discovered, believed to have been used in the road rage incident.
According to the caller's account, Urquhart intentionally pointed the firearm at them, instilling a fear of serious bodily harm or even death. A routine records check further revealed that Urquhart had outstanding warrants against him.
Following the incident, Urquhart was promptly placed under arrest, handcuffed, and transported to the Hopkins County Jail. The suspect was then transferred to the custody of the jail staff without any complications.
Mario Remonde Urquhart now faces several charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, failure to maintain financial responsibility, and displaying an expired motor vehicle registration. In Texas, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is typically considered a second-degree felony, carrying a sentence ranging from 2 to 20 years in prison, along with a potential fine of up to $10,000. However, depending on the circumstances, such as if the assault is committed against a public servant, in retaliation against a witness, or as a family violence offense, it may be elevated to a first-degree felony. In such cases, the punishment can be increased to 5 to 99 years or life imprisonment.
