He cut the Lottery line — then things got dangerous

A scratch-off ticket almost caused serious harm outside a Chesapeake Beach convenience store. Was a few minutes at a lottery machine really worth pulling a gun?

Calvert County authorities say yes, at least in the mind of one 64-year-old Dunkirk man. William Vance Herbert now faces felony first-degree assault and a list of other charges after allegedly pointing a handgun at another customer during an argument over a scratch-off ticket.

What happened at the Fastop

The dispute started small. On August 21, 2026, around 5:14 p.m. ET, Herbert allegedly approached a man standing at a lottery machine inside the Fastop Convenience Store on Bayside Road. He rushed the man to finish up. Words followed. The argument grew loud enough that a woman with Herbert stepped in and walked him outside.

It didn’t end there. 

When the other man left the store, the two picked the fight back up. According to the charging application, Herbert let the woman get into his Ford F-150, then walked to the driver's side. He opened the door. He reached in and pulled out a black handgun.

Surveillance cameras allegedly caught the next part: Herbert removed the gun from its holster and pointed it straight at the other man. The man started dialing 911. Herbert put the gun back, got in his truck, and drove south on Bayside Road.

How police built the case

Deputies arrived after dispatchers reported a man had allegedly pulled a firearm during a Lottery-related dispute. By then, both men were gone.

Investigators leaned on two sources: witness accounts and store surveillance footage. The store manager told deputies he'd heard Herbert threaten to fight the other customer, then watched him point a gun outside minutes later. The footage reportedly backed up the timeline down to the minute.

A records check through the Maryland State Police Gun Center Database turned up something notable: Herbert was legally permitted to own a firearm. The database linked him to two guns.

Investigators applied for a warrant, citing the assault, reckless endangerment, and use of a firearm in a crime of violence.

The charges and what's next

Herbert faces six counts: first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, two counts of disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or crime of violence.

His preliminary hearing is set for September 28, 2026, in Calvert County District Court.