BUCKHANNON – An Upshur County man was arrested Monday after allegedly threatening a local law enforcement officer and his family in early September.

Steven Arbogast, 42, of Buckhannon, was arrested for retaliation against a public officer, a felony, and obstructing an officer, a misdemeanor.

According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by Upshur County Sheriff’s Deputy Cpl. Tyler Gordon, on Sept. 4, 2023, Arbogast, confronted Patrolman Jonathan Warner of the Buckhannon Police Department on Camden Avenue in a very loud and aggressive manner.

Then, about a week later, on Sept. 11, Gordon was advised that Arbogast had allegedly threatened his safety as well as his family’s safety. Gordon was also informed that Arbogast had threatened to damage Gordon’s patrol vehicle by throwing a bike at it.

Gordon was provided video footage of the threats from a body camera. In the footage, Arbogast can allegedly be seen and heard screaming, “I went to prison for what that punk did ‘cause [inaudible] – … when he comes back to the force (Upshur County Sheriff’s Office), my bike’s going through his windshield … you tell him that from me… I will [expletive] his wife.”

In response, Warner can be heard stating, “Hey, we’re not Tyler –  just go, we’re not Gordon,” according to the report. Arbogast then allegedly replied, “If he comes back to the force (the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office), my next prison sentence, he’s right, I will go to do life… I will make sure he [inaudible],” the file states.

Arbogast allegedly threatened to injure Gordon and his family and damage his property in retaliation for Gordon performing his official duties as a law enforcement officer, so Gordon charged him with retaliation against a public officer.

Then, this Monday, Oct. 16, Gordon located Arbogast at Cook’s Store on Island Avenue Buckhannon. Because Gordon knew there was a warrant out for Arbogast’s arrest, Gordon ordered him to turn around and place his hands behind his back, which he allegedly refused to do several times. Arbogast allegedly began screaming and cursing at Gordon and had to be forcibly placed into handcuffs, the report says. Arbogast allegedly continued to resist, scream and spit while being searched.

Bail was set at $30,000 cash only.

The potential penalty for a conviction of obstructing an officer is a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500, imprisonment in jail for not more than one year or both. In addition, he faces a potential penalty for retaliation against a public officer of confinement in a state penitentiary for not less than one nor more than 10 years, a fine of up to $2,000 or both.