QuickTake:

A driving dispute in a Walmart parking lot on Aug. 16 resulted in an allegation that Victoria Doyle pointed a gun at a vehicle. Doyle resigned from the Springfield City Council on Aug. 7.

This story has been updated with new information.

Former Springfield City Councilor Victoria M. Doyle faces felony weapons charges alleging she pointed a gun while following another vehicle in a dispute that began in a Walmart parking lot, according to a police affidavit.

Doyle, who resigned from the council on Aug. 7, faces four counts of unlawfully using a weapon in what Springfield police described as a driving dispute that happened Saturday, Aug. 16.

The charges and her resignation from the council are “not related,” she said. “That’s all I can say.” She declined further comment.

On Friday, Aug. 22, Doyle pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to online court records.

The document filed by prosecutors in Lane County Circuit Court states that all the charges are based on the same act by Doyle, with different alleged victims for each charge.

Lt. George Crolly with Springfield police said there were no reports of injuries in the incident. Doyle was arrested Saturday after police responded first at about 1 p.m. to the 1700 block of 16th Street, then later at a separate location to interview Doyle, Crolly said.

A police affidavit filed in court includes information about the dispute from those in the vehicle allegedly chased by Doyle.

The dispute reportedly began at Walmart on Olympic Street, with an exchange of vulgar words and gestures when the two vehicles tried to back out of parking spaces at the same time.

People in one of the vehicles told police they were followed by an SUV. As they sped up, the SUV continued to follow at a high rate of speed, they told police, according to the affidavit.

One of the passengers told police he looked back to see the driver holding a firearm above the steering wheel and pointing it at their vehicle, the affidavit states.

As the vehicles came to a stop at a dead-end in the roadway, words were exchanged before the SUV left the area. The affidavit states that police later identified Doyle as the driver of the SUV.

The affidavit states that Doyle, when interviewed by police, said she followed the people in the vehicle to explain that their actions were not acceptable.

“Doyle stated once she encountered [two of the people in the vehicle], she told them they should be careful who they do that to, because they may have a gun, but said she only pointed her finger … while driving.

“Doyle later recanted her statement and acknowledged she pointed a holstered Sig Sauer P365 … to scare them for their actions,” states the affidavit, signed by Springfield police officer Brian Blaser.

Before her resignation from the City Council, Doyle represented Ward 5 in east Springfield, beginning in January 2023 after winning an election the previous year. Her term as a city councilor, an unpaid position, would have run through 2026.