Neighborhood Detroit mechanic jailed for death threats made toward police
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit police responded to a call of too many vehicles parked outside a mechanic's business on Pingree Street. The shop owner, a 60-year-old man, was charged with making death threats to police officers after cars were towed from the property.
Those who live near him say that man was just protecting his business. But now Bernard Smith is in jail accused of making death threats to police.
60-year-old business owner arrested for making death threats to Detroit police
Detroit police responded to a call of too many vehicles parked outside a man's mechanic business on Pingree Street. The owner, a 60-year-old man, is charged with making death threats to police officers after cars were towed from the property.
At 1 p.m. Friday afternoon Detroit police were called due to an excess of cars parked in the lot illegally. Customer Kelsey Maddox says there were 17 cars.
"It was crazy there were police everywhere," Maddox said. "You would have thought something really had happened over here, how many police were over here."
And both police and Maddox say the 60-year-old mechanic took issue with police being there.
"He just was ranting," Maddox said. "He’s an older guy, ranting, expressing himself and they labeled him a terrorist and dragged him out of here."
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said when police arrived that Smith was standing in the street.
The prosecutor says Smith was ordered back into his house and that's when he called 911 and allegedly made death threats. He was placed under arrest that same day.
Police say at the time of the arrest they also found guns and ammunition in the Smith house.
The 60-year-old was arraigned on seven felony counts including terroristic threatening for the alleged death. He is being held on a $50,000 cash bond.