TUALATIN, Ore. -- A Washington County man is facing several charges after he lost his temper with some teenagers and fired off his handgun, deputies said.

“He fired a gun after getting into an argument with the group of teens,” said Sergeant Bob Ray with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Jacob Wells, 31, was driving through the area near SW Marilyn and 112th just outside Tualatin around 8pm Wednesday when the altercation began, deputies said.

“A group of teens playing basketball on the street apparently didn't get out of the way as fast as Wells would have liked and they got into an argument,” said Sgt. Ray.

Some racial comments were made during that time and as Wells headed home, the teens followed him to get his license plate number, deputies said.

At that point, Wells fired a handgun into the air, said Sgt. Ray.

"Wells went home, which is a short distance down the road, and it appears that he retrieved a handgun at which point he proceeded to shoot it into the air,” Ray said.

No one was hit and the bullet did not cause any damage.

“The firing of the gun itself wouldn't necessarily constitute a crime,” said Sgt. Ray, “How it was used, and if it’s used to intimidate or frighten someone else to where they would fear for their life, that's when the crimes start to come about.”

Wells was arrested and now faces charges for reckless endangering, unlawful use of a weapon, and menacing, deputies said.