ST. CHARLES COUNTY -- A St. Charles County man is behind bars after police say he threatened tree trimmers with a crossbow and a scoped semiautomatic rifle.
Officers say the crews were contracted by Ameren to trim around the power lines in Herbert Detjen's backyard. While they were working, crews say Detjen fired a crossbow near them. Approximately 45 minutes later, the tree trimmers say Detjen came into the yard again, this time with a semiautomatic rifle.
The tree trimmers say Detjen slurred, "Someone's going to get shot if you don't leave." The crew immediately fled.
Police say Detjen admitted to drinking an undisclosed amount of vodka before the confrontation. He said he had been up all night drinking and became agitated because the tree trimmers showed up as he was getting ready to go to sleep.
Detjen has been charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon and is being held on a $10,000 bond.
