Tyler Bates
The case of the heavily armed man who allegedly threatened a truck driver on Interstate 29 last fall has been bound over for trial in Division I court.
Tyler Bates, 25, is scheduled to appear before Platte County Circuit Court judge Thomas Fincham on Thursday, March 28. Bates remains in custody at the Platte County Detention Center on $100,000 cash-only bond. Judge Quint Shafer twice denied a reduction of bond request from Bates’ public defender and Fincham denied another bond reduction request last week.
Bate faces two felony charges after a road rage incident in Platte City last October involving two firearms. At about 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, according to court documents, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a truck driver on Interstate 29 just north of Highway 92. The driver of the tractor trailer reported a blue Volvo station wagon — driven by Bates — allegedly passed him on the shoulder, pulled in front of him and decelerated, twice, almost causing a crash. Bates then rolled down his window to show a handgun, which he pointed at the driver of the truck, according to his statement. When the victim called police, he followed the Volvo and exited at Hwy. 92, attempting to get the license plate number of the car. Bates allegedly then pulled what looked like an AR-15 rifle from the back seat and brandished it, while appearing to put on a vest.
Police located Bates and the victim near Kentucky Avenue. Bates was immediately detained and told police not to search his car because he had guns in it.
During a search of the Volvo, police found an AR-15 rifle in the back seat, a 40-caliber handgun in the driver’s side door, another 40-caliber handgun in the glove box and yet another AR-15 in the back of the station wagon. All weapons were loaded. Police also found the ballistic vest he was witnessed removing, a ghillie suit, binoculars, ammunition, hand held radios and other items.
At the sheriff’s office, Bates told police a different version of the story, stating the tractor trailer almost ran him off the road. He also told police he occasionally worked in Kansas as an unlicensed bounty hunter and was a “sheep dog, not a wolf.”
When confronted with the victim’s statement, Bates recanted his story, admitting he became angry when the truck cut him off.