Nesquehoning police respond to threat at apartment complex

A Nesquehoning man faces assault charges after he threatened to kill two neighbors after first calling the police on another resident.

Ryan Patrick Nelson, 19, of the 100 block of West Catawissa Street, was arrested by Nesquehoning police on Wednesday night. He has been charged with two counts each aggravated assault, simple assault, terroristic threats and recklessly endangering another person.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, officer Richard Neikam was dispatched to the apartment complex on that block for a drug complaint filed by Nelson. The apartment building has been the site of numerous complaints, as well as a recent suicide.

Upon arrival, Nelson told Neikam that another tenant was using methamphetamine and that the tenant struck Nelson in the head.

Officers went to the apartment to speak with the tenant the complaint was about and he and a woman said that Nelson tried to attack the man and another female with a knife.

The pair then left Nelson there and went to CVS, but received multiple phone calls from Nelson, including one where Nelson threatened to kill them.

The man told police that Nelson spotted them coming home and came running down the street toward them with a large kitchen knife, nearly striking them. He then grabbed the girl’s shoulder and punched the man in the head.

The pair called their resident advisor for the building and told her what happened.

Nelson was taken into custody and arraigned before District Judge William Kissner and lodged in Carbon County Correctional Facility after being unable to post $50,000 bail. He faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Casimir Kosciolek on July 31.

Police Chief Sean Smith said Thursday that he wants the public to know that the department is aware of what’s going on in the apartment building and is trying to work on a solution following recent incidents.