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Two arrested for brandishing gun at drivers
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Two young Ceres men were arrested Friday after they were seen brandishing a handgun at occupants of a car on southbound Mitchell Road.

Both driver Dru Tillman, 20, and passenger Christopher Perkins, 19, both of Ceres, were arrested for misdemeanor brandishing a firearm.

The incident was reported at 2:03 p.m. saying occupants of a tan Nissan on Mitchell Road had brandished a gun and were driving erratically. The caller later pulled into the Food 4 less parking lot at Hatch and Mitchell road after losing sight of the Nissan. Officer Coey Henson drove to the Food 4 less parking lot and was flagged down by the reporting party. Police were told that passenger Perkins pointed the gun at the vehicle while stopped at a red light. The light turned green and the Nissan continued southbound while the “victims” called 9-1-1 and gave up following the suspects because of Tillman’s dangerous driving. 

Meanwhile police dispatchers were advised that another person had just reported the same vehicle stopped at Smyrna Park with a man brandishing a gun. Officer Henson drove to Smyrna Park and saw the Nissan speeding away from the park southbound on Rose Avenue. The Nissan stopped at the stop sign at Rose Avenue and Garrison long enough to allow Henson to catch up.

Henson got behind the car to stop it and saw the driver duck down and lean toward the passenger side as if rummaging through the glove compartment. When the driver sat back up in his seat he opened the driver door but continued to rummage through the vehicle. Henson ordered Tillman to close the door but he got out and turned toward the officer. Henson ordered Tillman get in the car but he ignored commands. Tillman began looking around as if he was going to take off running.  Officer Henson then ordered the driver to get on his stomach.  This time Tillman complied.   

Other officers assisted with detaining the pair while a search of the car turned up an unloaded black Smith & Wesson .357 revolver in the glove compartment, which was taken as evidence.

Tillman said they found the gun and went to the park with the gun in his waistband where he spoke to a group asking them if they knew where “Anthony” was. Tillman said there were no bullets and he only had it for intimidation purposes and it felt “cool to carry it.”

Perkins admitted to possessing the gun in the car but said he did not brandish it to anyone.  He said he was moving the gun from one spot to another inside the Nissan and someone must have witnessed it.