Police arrest man with knife after neighbors threatened

A Poplar Bluff man is in the Butler County jail facing several charges after officials say he created a serious risk to a neighborhood at about 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Timothy Wayne Williams, 45, faces charges of felony armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting arrest, creating substantial risk of serious injury and a failure to appear warrant for assault.

Poplar Bluff police officers responded to the area of 11th and Tremont streets to reports of a subject threatening people with a knife.

According to the report, an officer made contact with the reporting party.

The witness told officers he was unloading a moving van on Apple Street when he heard someone screaming and cussing. When the reporting party asked the man to stop cussing around his child, the suspect allegedly started walking toward them and said, “**** you. I will stab you and your kid,” before pulling a knife out of his pocket.

According to another witness, approximately 15 minutes after the movers left, the suspect was back standing in the road, swinging the knife around.

At that time, officers said, the reporting party dialed 911 with the man yelling, he was “going to get him and his son and he didn’t care who got stabbed.”

Officers report they came into contact with the suspect in the backyard of a home in the 1000 block of Spring Street. According to the report, an officer instructed Williams to drop a knife allegedly held in his right hand.

“I ain’t going to do it,” the suspect replied, running around the corner of the house toward the officer, police report.

The suspect unsuccessfully attempted to enter the Spring Street house, according to officers, who continued to speak with Williams.

“At one time, he turned and lunged toward me and took three steps in my direction,” the officer’s report said. “I continued giving him instructions. He was not being cooperative at all.”

As backup officers continued to arrive, Williams allegedly recognized Lt. Bob Moore and said, “I will give the knife to Bob,” and dropped the knife over the fence to Moore.

The suspect was taken into custody, processed, booked and lodged in the Butler County jail.