CLEARFIELD – An Osceola Mills man will be spending time in state prison for threatening state troopers with a chainsaw.
Joseph James Komisar, 53, pleaded guilty Monday during colloquy court to two counts each of terroristic threats and simple assault in one case and two counts each of terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person and related charges in the original case that led to police responding to the Osceola Mills residence.
Judge Paul Cherry sentenced him to a total of nine months to four years in state prison.
According to the affidavits of probable cause, a woman called police Nov. 20 because Komisar would not leave her Osceola Mills residence. She told troopers that when she asked him to leave, he shoved her. After he went outside, he threatened her as he pounded on the windows and doors. He left and when he returned he had a chainsaw.
He entered the home by pushing in a window and yelled at the victim and a friend while the chainsaw was running. During this time, he threatened to kill everyone in the house. Both victims left the home and went to a neighbor’s house where they called state police.
After state police arrived on the scene, they told Komisar to leave. Instead of following their commands, he switched on the chainsaw, saying he would kill the two state troopers. He damaged a portion of the glass in the door and a blind with the chainsaw. Additional state troopers were requested.
Komisar yelled at the state troopers from an upstairs window while continuing to run the chainsaw that damaged the window blinds and cut several holes in the walls of the bedroom, according to the complaint.
They were unable to engage Komisar in conversation. State police said Komisar secured all the doors of the residence and appeared to be staying in an upstairs bedroom.
Entry was eventually made into the kitchen using the victim’s key. Once inside, state troopers saw Komisar at the top of the stairs holding a small knife. After a few minutes of conversation, Komisar placed the knife on the ground and walked down the steps where he was taken into custody.
During his transport to the police station, Komisar reportedly became irritated, threatening one of the state troopers and spitting on him.
Komisar has been in trouble for threatening people before. He pleaded guilty to terroristic threats and harassment in June of 2015, according to court documents. At that time, he was sentenced to six months to 23.5 months in the county jail.
