Burglary, assault charges in Brownsdale

Published 9:45 am Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A Waltham man is in custody after allegedly entering another man’s home and then threatening him with a knife.

David Slupe, 60, was charged Monday with two counts of felony burglary for allegedly entering a 58-year-old man’s residence on 266th Street in Brownsdale. Slupe also faces felony counts of assault and making terroristic threats, as well a gross misdemeanor charge of interfering with 911 calls.

He is scheduled for arraignment July 1.

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According to a criminal complaint, a Mower County deputy responded to a call from the residence at around 6 p.m. on Friday. That call went through to dispatch but the caller had hung-up before speaking with anyone. Calls back to the number were unsuccessful.

Upon arrival, the deputy saw two men arguing in the front yard. One of the two was Slupe, and he had the other man by his shirt collar, the complaint states. That man also yelled that Slupe had a knife.

The deputy was able to separate the two. He spoke with Slupe, who smelled of alcohol and had glassed-over eyes, the complaint states. Slupe said he was angry at the other man because the man was claiming that Slupe had stolen $2,000 from him during a business deal two years earlier.

The deputy then spoke with the 58-year-old alleged victim, who is being treated for a serious health issue, according to the complaint, and was visibly shaken after the incident. He said that Slupe had come over to his house earlier in the evening and entered uninvited.

The man said he tried to get Slupe to leave, but that he wouldn’t. He said he then tried to flee out the back, but Slupe grabbed him and began dragging him toward the front door. The man grabbed a phone as he was pulled outside, the complaint states.

Once outside, Slupe allegedly drew a knife and said, “You’re going to talk or I’m going to kill you.” The man said he attempted to call 911, but Slupe knocked the phone out of his hand.

The alleged victim also said that he believed Slupe would have stabbed him had a deputy not arrived when he did, the complaint states.

A knife was later found in Slupe’s back pocket that matched the one described by the alleged victim, the complaint states. Slupe told the deputy that the knife was his, but he denied that he threatened to kill the other man. He did, however, admit to having a “few beers” and pushing the other man around, the complaint states.