Idaho man arrested after police say he pulled a gun on group of teens in McDonald's parking lot

AMMON, Idaho — An 18-year-old man was arrested this week after he reportedly pointed a gun at a group of people, mostly minors, in a parking lot in Ammon.

Creek Warren Potter is charged with four counts of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Potter has been assigned a public defender. The Idaho State Public Defender's Office does not comment on active cases.

On Monday at about 8:55 p.m., a Bonneville County sheriff's deputy responded to a parking lot near a McDonald's restaurant at 1875 S. 25th East. A police booking affidavit says the deputy was dispatched there after a person called and reported that someone was pointing a gun at a group of people.

Upon arrival, the deputy contacted a witness who said he and his friends, most of whom were minors, were standing in the parking lot when a man identified as Potter drove through multiple times.

The last time Potter allegedly drove through, the witness told the deputy that he "drove past the group, pointing a black handgun" out the driver's side window at the group.

The witness then showed the deputy a photo of Potter's car driving through the parking lot, the report says. It is unclear whether Potter knew anyone in the group.

Deputies soon found Potter at a home on Valley Drive and asked him about the incident.

Potter stated he was at work at Sizzler nearby when a group of people showed up and asked to speak with him, according to the affidavit. Potter told deputies the Sizzler manager told the group to leave, and that once he was done working, he went to McDonald's and drove straight home.

When deputies asked if Potter carried a gun, he said "yes" and confirmed it had been under the seat in his truck, the affidavit says.

Potter said he did not see the group of people at McDonald's and did not know anyone who may have been part of it, the report states. Deputies said he also told them there was no reason anyone in the group would have known that he had a gun.

The affidavit goes on to say that Potter allowed one of his relatives to retrieve a gun — a Springfield Hellcat Pro — from his bedroom safe. The deputies then confirmed the gun matched the description given by all members of the group who claimed Potter had pointed a gun at them.

The weapon reportedly had one round in the chamber and additional rounds in the magazine, the report says.

Potter was arrested and booked into the Bonneville County Jail on a $10,000 bond. A no-contact order was issued for those in the group who reported the incident.

Potter is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 11. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison.

Though Potter has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

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