Man arrested after allegedly pointing handgun at biker in Lava

LAVA HOT SPRINGS — A man was arrested after pointing a handgun at another man riding a motorcycle through Lava Hot Springs, authorities say.

Noah Rosales, 51, was charged with aggravated assault following the incident, court records show.

Bannock County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call around 3 a.m. Monday, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The victim told deputies he was riding his motorcycle, followed by a friend in a pickup truck, near the 300 block of Main Street. He said that while he was driving he noticed a laser on the road. As he approached the laser, it lifted off the pavement onto his body.

When he looked up, the biker told officers he saw a man standing behind a van pointing a handgun with a laser sight at him.

The biker said he waved to his friend in the truck to pass him and followed the truck out of the area.

The victim provided deputies with a description of the man with the gun. This description, according to the affidavit, matched that of a man with whom a deputy at the scene had interacted 45 minutes earlier.

According to a police report, the deputy was reported by Rosales, who reported an unrelated incident the day before. Rosales, the deputy noted, wanted to provide the deputy with further details regarding the previous incident and told the deputy where he was staying. The deputy also noted that Rosales appeared to be intoxicated at the time.

After the gun incident, the deputies approached Rosales’ hotel room and one of them noticed that Rosales was armed. The deputies took cover and asked Rosales to drop his gun and walk out of the room.

After being identified as part of law enforcement, according to the affidavit, Rosales followed the orders of deputies.

The deputies informed Rosales that he was being arrested for aggravated assault and told him about the call they had received.

After initially denying any involvement and requesting a video of the incident, the affidavit says Rosales admitted to pointing his gun at the ground. He told deputies “they were coming at me and I felt threatened,” the affidavit states, but he said he never pointed the gun at anyone.

When asked, however, Rosales was unable to explain how “they” “came to (him).”

He was placed under arrest and transported to the Bannock County jail for reservation.

Deputies noted that despite being inebriated, Rosales was “pleasant and respectful” when interacting with him.

Rosales posted $10,000 bond on Tuesday and was released.

Although Rosales was accused of these crimes, that does not mean that he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

Rosales is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Scott Axline for a preliminary hearing on May 10.