By MATT THACKER
A Louisville man was arrested Wednesday, accused of threatening to shoot a Jeffersonville judge who had reported him to police for driving recklessly.
According to a Clarksville Police Department incident report, Jeffersonville City Court Judge Ken Pierce was driving behind a 1999 Ford Expedition on Eastern Boulevard when he witnessed the vehicle disregard two traffic signals.
Pierce called police at about 6:30 p.m. to report the “reckless driver” and then followed the vehicle as it approached the Big Lots parking lot, the report says.
“They ran two red lights blatantly, so I called it in to the police,” Pierce told The Evening News.
Herman Lynn Taylor Jr., 59, and his wife, who was driving the vehicle, reportedly stopped outside Big Lots. Pierce said he circled around the vehicle and then parked his car. Pierce said Taylor and his wife got out of their vehicle and were staring at him.
Pierce said he got out of his vehicle and tried to defuse the situation.
“I didn’t want them to think I was going to do something crazy. I approached the vehicle and told them I had called police, that it wasn’t a big deal, they would probably just come and give them a warning or talk to them,” Pierce said. “They were not happy with me.”
Pierce said the couple exited the vehicle and became angry, so he identified himself as the Jeffersonville City Court judge and showed his badge and credentials.
According to Pierce, Taylor said, “I’ll shoot your [expletive] with my [expletive] gun.”
A police officer reported that Taylor continued to shout over him as he tried to interview Pierce. A witness also corroborated Pierce’s statements and added that Taylor had also said, “I will put you in the [expletive] pavement.”
Pierce said members of the Optimist Club had been complaining about people not stopping at red lights, so he promised he would call the police when he sees someone run a red light. He did not expect the situation would become so heated.
Charges had not been filed as of Wednesday afternoon, but Taylor was booked into jail for class D felony intimidation to a judge. He faces six months to three years in prison if convicted of that charge.
His wife’s name was not listed in the report.
