FARMINGTON — A Jay man Tuesday denied pointing a loaded handgun at a vehicle with children in it while traveling from Jay to Farmington in Dec. 10, 2016.

Jacob Couture,  27, pleaded not guilty in Franklin County Superior Court to a felony charge of terrorizing with a dangerous weapon and misdemeanor charges of threatening display of weapon and endangering the welfare of a child.

Couture was indicted on the charges May 18. His bail remained at $5,000 cash.

The maximum punishment for a conviction of a Class C felony is five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Police previously said the road-rage incident began near the Jay Transfer Station on Route 4 in North Jay. Farmington police stopped a truck driven by Couture near Mt. Blue Plaza on Routes 2 and 4. There was a child in the passenger seat.

Couture was following and passing another vehicle and witnesses said he pointed the firearm at it as it was going from Jay to Wilton to Farmington, police previously said. There were children in the vehicle, police said.

The drivers did not know each other, police said.

Farmington police searched Couture’s truck and found a loaded handgun that matched the description of the firearm witnesses gave to police, Detective Marc Bowering said last year.

Jacob Couture