Man arrested for stalking, making threats with knife

HARTINGTON – A Concord man has been arrested after he allegedly threatened a Laurel man with a knife and also exhibited stalking behavior toward a woman last week.

Joseph Grant, 30, allegedly got into an altercation with a Laurel man after he waved his arms in an attempt to get Grant to slow down while driving by his property last week.

Grant then entered the man’s lawn, verbally confronting him and then allegedly pushing him to the ground. Grant also allegedly took a dagger out of his vehicle and waved it at the Laurel resident in a threatening manner. He also opened his vehicle door and allowed his two pitbull dogs to exit the vehicle.

The Laurel man was pulled away from the scene by a family member and Grant eventually left.

However, police were called to a Laurel business later to the complaint of Grant trespassing there and harassing a woman.

The woman said she cut off contact with Grant after learning he was a sex offender but he continuously called her and showed up to her workplace, sometimes leaving gifts on her vehicle.

After being warned once for trespassing, Grant returned to the business while officers were still there.

When Grant was arrested, officers located marijuana in his pocket and drug paraphernalia. The two pitbulls in the vehicle were removed and officers located a dagger 3 1/2 inches long in the vehicle.

During the arrest and transport to jail, officers said Grant screamed vulgarities and slammed his head into the prisoner partition and window in the patrol car, and also threatened to kill the officer. During processing, Grant refused to submit to a chemical test.

As a result, Grant faces numerous felony charges including use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, stalking and two counts of terroristic threats. Misdemeanor charges include third-degree assault, criminal trespassing, driving under the influence, disturbing the peace, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, as well as traffic offenses.

Grant has a prior conviction of felony sexual assault from 2012.

Two others from the area have been arrested in serious felony cases.

Albert Bathel, 73, Laurel, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon, third-degree domestic assault, two counts of terroristic threats and resisting arrest stemming from an incident last week.

Law enforcement was called to his Laurel home by Bathel for a domestic disturbance. During the call, he allegedly threatened to kill any responding officer. The dispatcher and deputy at the 911 communications center attempted to calm him down and have him load and store any weapons prior to responding.

Bathel refused to leave the residence when law enforcement arrived but eventually let a deputy in to attend to a woman in the home who had fallen. During the investigation, officers found both parties to be intoxicated and located a loaded revolver in a case at the residence. The woman later reported Bathel threatened to kill her but also threatened to kill the president and other public officials that night.

Deputies found Bathel in violation of the law by possessing a firearm due to a prior conviction of domestic assault.

Phelan Schwager, 36, Randolph, faces additional felony charges after police found methamphetamine during his arrest on a theft-related warrant.

The Nebraska State Patrol, with assistance from Randolph police, arrested Phelan Schwager Sept. 22 for his alleged involvement in criminal mischief and theft of copper irrigation wire.

During his arrest and subsequent search of him, a small baggie containing methamphetamine was located.

That gave officers probable cause to search his residence and garage. During the search, officers inventoried glass pipes, a digital scale, baggies, one gram of marijuana, one gram of methamphetamine, a 9mm gun and ammunition and dried marijuana plants.

Police allege the motorcycle in Schwager’s garage and the firearm found in the residence had been reported stolen.

From that search, Schwager faces additional charges including possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a stolen firearm, theft by receiving stolen property, criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance, all felonies. He also was charged with several misdemeanors including theft and lesser drug charges.

The original warrant in which he was picked up charges him with felony criminal mischief, and misdemeanor theft in the copper wire case.

In June, two spans of wire were cut from a Cedar County irrigation system so the owner set up a game camera. About a week later, the camera captured suspects who had returned to the area. Schwager was identified as one of the suspects on photos from the game camera.

About 100 pounds of stripped copper wire was located during a probation search in Knox County believed to be connected with the Cedar County wire thefts.