Man accused of threatening to kill people with axe, jumping into lake, and spitting on deputy
07/05/2022 10:22 am PDT
HAYWARD, Wis. (TCD) -- A 45-year-old man was taken into custody following a pursuit that reportedly occurred on both land and in water after he threatened people with a hammer and other weapons.
According to the Sawyer County Record, on June 9, John Andersen allegedly started verbally accosting a woman at an aging and disabilities center on Agency Road with an axe head he had tied to a rope. A Sawyer County Sheriff's Office deputy arrived at the scene and reportedly noted Andersen "has a long history of unpredictable, erratic and dangerous behavior."
Three days later on June 12, Sawyer County Sheriff's Office deputies, Lac Courte Oreilles Police, and Minnesota State Patrol reportedly returned to the same Agency Road location because Anderson was allegedly running around threatening to kill people while holding a knife and hammer.
The Sawyer County Record reports Lac Courte Oreilles Police eventually located Andersen and chased him on foot. Andersen allegedly jumped into Little Lac Courte Oreilles and tried swimming away. Deputies walked into the water in pursuit, and a Sawyer County airboat soon arrived to assist.
Deputies reportedly took Andersen into custody after 43 minutes in the water in which he allegedly threatened law enforcement officials several times.
Andersen allegedly threatened to kill a Lac Courte Oreilles officer and his family while en route to the Sawyer County Jail. When he was being escorted into the jail, he allegedly swore at and spit on a deputy. The saliva reportedly landed on the deputy's pants leg.
Sawyer County court records show Andersen was charged with second-degree recklessly endangering safety, battery or threat to law enforcement officer, throw/discharge bodily fluid at public safety worker, resisting or obstructing an officer, and disorderly conduct. His bond was set at $10,000 cash.
MORE:
