Jail time for first cell-phone road rage suspect

KEIZER, Ore. - A Keizer man's anger over drivers who talk on cell phones has landed him in jail. Police said the man terrorized at least two women whom he caught talking and driving.

The man, 61-year-old Carl Wynkoops, reportedly pulled a gun on at least two Salem-area women as they talked on their cell phones while driving. It turns out that the gun - which looked like the one above - was made for BBs. Not knowing that, one victim said she thought she was going to die in that split-second when he pulled the trigger.

One 23-year-old woman was shot at with her baby in the car. Rather than taking a bullet through the window, the BB bounced off. Nonetheless, this victim describes the knowledge that Wynkoops had been arrested as "a lot of relief."

"The police know who this man is; they know where he lives and they know what he's up to," she told KATU. "So it just make me feel very good."

Inside Wynkoops' Sports Utility Vehicle, officers said they found the weapon, a black ski mask and a sign that read "Get off the phone stupid."

"No one normal would be carrying all these things in their car, prepared at their home and driving around looking for women on their cell phones," said another victim. "I mean, that's just out of control."

Why did Wynkoop have the ski mask? His wife tried to explain: "Because he's a survivalist."

His wife, Joyce Wynkoops, also apologized via KATU to the victims: "I am so sorry that he put you through this; that would have scared me too."

She admits her husband would have been in the wrong.

"I don't know what was going through his mind when he did it," Joyce Wynkoop said. "And I am so sorry to the husbands, to the wives. I just can't take back what he did."

At Wynkoop's Keizer apartment, officers said they also found what they initially described as a pipe bomb and an old grenade. So far Carl Wynkoop does not face any charges for being in possession of a pipe bomb.

The Salem bomb squad was called to his apartment Thursday night, and whatever was there was detonated. Carl's wife says it was just a firecracker that Wynkoop made to light on the Fourth of July.

One of the residents at Wynkoop's apartment complex, Michael Kelly, said he is relieved that Wynkoop is behind bars.

"His response to something like people not picking up dog poo and then rubbing it on their door," Kelly said. "I think he has people problems - not cell phone problems."