A Kenai man was arrested Monday after reportedly threatening employees of a local business with a stick.

Around 6 a.m Monday morning Kenai Police responded to reports of a man standing on Bridge Access Road using a stake — wooden and about three feet long, according to Kenai Police Sgt. Paul Cushman — to threaten passing vehicles. The man, 36-year-old David O’Brien of Kenai, was arrested for third-degree assault and taken to Wildwood Correctional Facility.

Cushman said the assault charge came from an earlier incident at a nearby business. The wooden object O’Brien carried was carved, but Cushman was unsure whether or not it was pointed, and referred to it as either a stake or a stick.

“Originally officers were called because he was threatening vehicles, but when they got there they made contact with employees of a local business that stated he had come on to the property and was threatening to harm them,” Cushman said. “Then he did attempt to strike one of them with the stick. Officers got their statements and were able to quickly locate Mr. O’Brien in the area, who still happened to have the stick with him, and they were able to arrest him without incident.”

O’Brien denied threatening anyone, Cushman said.

Cushman said there were no injuries or damage to vehicles, and he wasn’t aware of drugs or alcohol being involved in the incident.

—Ben Boettger