SKOWHEGAN — A local man remained at the county jail Thursday on a variety of charges that included holding an 8-inch kitchen knife to another man’s throat inside his house on Wednesday night and not letting the victim leave.
Police said David Scribner, 62, randomly dragged another man into the private residence at 20 McClellan St. and held him there, even as police were looking for Scribner to question him about an incident the day before, for which he faces charges of criminal trespass and terrorizing.
Interim police Chief Joel Cummings said the string of events began Tuesday when Scribner allegedly threatened some neighbors, reportedly telling them he was going to shoot them all in the head. Cummings said Scribner and the neighbors have “a history of feuds dating back years,” which possibly contributed to the alleged threats.
Skowhegan police Detective Don Avery said officers have responded to 39 or 40 calls at the residence since April.
Police officers went to Scriber’s house and were at the door while Scribner was holding the other man at knifepoint, telling him to be quiet or he would get hurt, Cummings said. Officers left when nobody came to the door.
The victim waited for Scribner to become distracted and escaped through an open window and called 911, according to Cummings.
Police went to the house again later. When he did not answer knocks on the door, they obtained a search warrant and “ended up breaching through the front door,” according to Cummings.
Scribner was found hiding on the home’s second floor, and Officer Ryan Blakeney arrested him without further incident. A county sheriff’s deputy assisted at the scene.
Scribner is charged with criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, a class C felony. He also is charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal restraint and assault for the Wednesday incident and with terrorizing and criminal trespass for the events on Tuesday, Cummings said.
He also was involved with another incident with his neighbors on June 10, Cummings said.
Avery said Scribner acted in a similar way 10 or 11 years ago when he reportedly stopped taking his medications, but ultimately he got back on track. Cummings said his department will work with the district attorney’s office to try to get Scribner the help he needs.
Scribner is being held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail and is awaiting a court appearance, possibly on Friday.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
This story was updated at 7:40 p.m. June 22, 2017 to correct the location of the alleged crime. David Scribner lives in a private residence at 20 McClellan St., not at the nearby homeless shelter.
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