PARIS — A West Paris man was charged Tuesday with threatening two town officials with a pellet gun on Main Street during Tuesday night’s snowstorm.

Richard Hatstat, 29, of 215 Main St., made an initial appearance in 11th District Court on Wednesday afternoon on two misdemeanor charges of criminal threatening.  

According to police, Hatstat was walking down Main Street in West Paris around 8:30 p.m. when he allegedly pointed what was initially thought to be a handgun at fire Chief Norm St. Pierre and, later, Selectman Dennis Henderson. 

No shots were fired. 

According to an affidavit by Oxford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Nathan Bowie, complaints of a man waving a handgun at passing cars prompted officers from the Oxford and Paris police departments and Maine State Police troopers to set up a command post at The Big Apple convenience store on Route 26 at the intersection with Main Street.

According to Bowie, Henderson pulled into the store parking lot and told police he was driving along Main Street near the Agnes Gray School when he stopped to ask if a man walking on the sidewalk needed help. Henderson said the man drew a handgun on him. 

Bowie said police spotted a man about to walk into a home at 215 Main St. and ordered him to stop but he refused.

After contacting the occupants of the building, including Hatstat’s girlfriend and a family on the first floor, police eventually located Hatstat near a basement crawl space. 

According to police, Hatstat said he threw the pellet gun into a snowbank before entering the residence. It was not immediately recovered because of the heavy snow.

Bowie said Hatstat expressed outrage that he had been arrested. Hatstat said he pointed the pellet gun only after nearly being hit by a car, the deputy said.

In an interview Wednesday afternoon, St. Pierre said he had just finished plowing the fire station lot and had pulled onto Main Street when he slowed to avoid a man.

St. Pierre said Hatstat, who he did not know, threw an arm in the air as if enraged, walked up to the car window and pointed “something black” at him that he thought was a handgun. St. Pierre said he drove away. 

“You don’t even know what he’s got at that point. I think he pulled out a 9 mm at my head and I’m thinking ‘this isn’t good,'” Pierre said. 

Hatstat’s bail was set at $200 cash or $2,000 worth of real estate, with conditions he have no contact with St. Pierre or Henderson. 

ccrosby@sunjournal.com