A National Guard soldier arrested in a road rage incident is apologizing. Police say he threatened the other driver with a rifle.

Brian Spangler wanted to say he's sorry to all the other drivers on Hastings Way Monday night. He also wants to apologize to the other driver who he says he accidentally cut off.

Spangler, 22, says he was on his way home after catching a movie that night. He was with a friend when he says he made another driver very angry.

"He got beside us and started yelling and screaming," Spangler says.

For the next couple miles, Spangler says the two men raced through traffic on Hastings Way, trading places in the lead. When Spangler pulled up in front of his apartment he says Thomas Tibbitts, 55, rear-ended him. The police say Spangler stopped quickly causing the crash.

"I had no idea what his intentions were after that. I thought they were a little more sinister," Spangler tells us.

That's why Spangler says he went into his apartment, grabbed a rifle and came back outside and pointed it at Tibbitts; a "self-defense" move that the Army National Guard soldier now says was not a smart move. He says Tibbitts was already on the phone with officers.

"I apologize to him. I didn't know what his intentions were,” Spangler says. “Don't do what I did. Call emergency services. They'll get right on the case. They were here pretty quickly and got it all sorted out.”

Thomas Tibbitts tells WEAU 13 News he too feels terrible about the whole thing and that both drivers made terrible mistakes.

Tibbitts was arrested for disorderly conduct. Spangler was arrested for recklessly endangering safety. Spangler says his gun had a blank in it that night.