On Thursday afternoon, March 8, just before 4:00 pm, multiple citizens called 911 to report a physical altercation between two men in the parking lot of the Dollar Tree store, located at the corner of Highway 62 and Highway 140. One man, later identified as Julio Aneudis Romano-Baez, 37, was reportedly armed with a handgun.
Jackson County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene within two minutes of the first call. They took Romano-Baez into custody and located a handgun on his person.
Deputies learned Romano-Baez and a 70-year-old man had been involved in a “road rage” incident while driving on Highway 62. The two vehicles stopped in the parking lot and a confrontation ensued. Witnesses reported seeing Romano-Baez punch the victim in the face and then point a handgun at him.
Deputies lodged Romano-Baez in jail on charges of fourth-degree assault, menacing, carrying a concealed weapon, and second-degree disorderly conduct. Romano-Baez was not injured. The victim was treated at the scene for minor facial injuries.
This incident was witnessed by several people at nearby businesses and in the parking lot. Deputies urge bystanders to consider their own safety when they find themselves in similar situations. While JCSO respects the rights of citizens to observe and to record law enforcement encounters, deputies remind everyone that remaining near a volatile scene is inherently dangerous and should be avoided when possible.
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