A late-night argument outside a Wawa in Willow Grove escalated into a frightening situation early Sunday morning when a man allegedly pulled a gun on three others, according to police.
Officers from the Upper Moreland Police Department responded around 2:33 a.m. on April 5 to the Wawa, located at 201 S. York Road in Upper Moreland Township after a report of an armed individual. By the time police arrived, the suspect had already left the scene in a brown BMW.
Three individuals told officers they had been involved in an argument with the driver, later identified as Andrew Holton, and claimed he pointed a gun at them during the dispute before leaving southbound on York Road.
About 15 minutes later, Abington Police located and stopped a vehicle matching the description near Moreland Road and Easton Road. Holton was behind the wheel, and officers reported spotting a gun in plain view inside the car, wedged between the seat and center console.
The three individuals from the Wawa were brought to the traffic stop location, where they positively identified Holton as the person involved in the incident. He was taken into custody without further incident.
During questioning, Holton told police he had been out earlier in the evening and had consumed alcohol before arriving at the Wawa with friends. He said the confrontation began after an interaction inside the store and escalated outside. Holton claimed he feared he might be assaulted and retrieved what he described as a non-functioning BB gun from his vehicle, which he then pointed at the group.
Police later recovered the BB gun, which appeared to be inoperable. Officers also reported finding multiple alcoholic beverages inside the vehicle, including open and unopened containers.
Witnesses told police the situation escalated quickly, with tensions rising after a minor incident inside the store. According to investigators, the argument moved outside, where the alleged weapon was displayed.
Holton is facing charges of simple assault, harassment, and other charges.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 29, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Thomas P. Murt.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
