A Plymouth man with a history of run-ins with the cops was arrested Friday after allegedly making threats to people inside a local gas station.
33-year-old Gene Poe was arrested and booked into the Kosciusko County Jail Friday on charges of intimidation with a deadly weapon; battery with a deadly weapon; and criminal confinement.
According to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department, police received a report of an unwanted person with a knife who was threatening to kill everyone inside the gas station at the 2500 block of U.S. 30 in Warsaw.
Upon arrival, a deputy saw Poe getting a knife from his pocket and ordered him to drop it.
Poe threw the knife away, but when police told him to put his hands behind his back, Poe instead flailed his hands as if he wanted to fight and took steps toward the deputy in an aggressive manner.
A physical altercation ensued and Poe was striking the deputy as he tried to arrest him. Other officers attempted to gain control of Poe’s hands, but he continued to fight.
An officer used a stun gun on Poe’s leg, but it had no effect. Poe was then able to grab it away, but the deputy was able to hold the power switch in the off position until able to get it back from Poe.
Finally, Poe was able to be taken to jail.
A relative of Poe’s that was at the gas station said he recently became very irritable and threatened to kill her. Poe and the woman then drove to the gas station with Poe holding a utility knife to her side, according to a report from the sheriff’s office.
Once at the store, Poe armed himself with a large flashlight and the knife as they walked from the car to the store. While walking through the parking lot, the relative said she did not feel as if she had the right to leave Poe. He also allegedly told her, “If you do one thing wrong I’ll gut you right there in front of everybody.”
Once inside the station, the woman said she had to use the restroom, started heading that way and then mouthed “call the cops” to a gas station employee.
The worker then distracted Poe so the woman could get to the restroom and lock herself inside. Police were notified and responded shortly thereafter, the report said.
According to Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Don Wiesehan Jr., “He’s been in treatment programs before,” adding that Poe has been arrested on previous occasions.
