Aggravation and a hot temper led to the arrest of a Dexter man Sunday.
According to the Dexter Police Department, Ray Armbruster was arrested on multiple counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon, as well as two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Armbruster had allegedly been standing in the middle of Bailiff Drive with a yellow bicycle and speaking on a cellular device when a motorist with two juveniles in the vehicle asked Armbruster to move so they could pass, according to the probable cause affidavit filed with Stoddard County courts. Armbruster allegedly made a rude gesture with his middle finger and used a vulgar expletive.
When the motorist attempted to travel around by moving into the next lane, Armbruster is reported to have moved toward the vehicle with a knife in his hand and continued to curse at the occupants in the vehicle.
Armbruster reportedly then traveled onto Business Highway 60 in front of a second vehicle — causing the second vehicle to apply brakes abruptly. The driver of the second vehicle reported that Armbruster had started to curse at them. At that point, the first motorist reportedly drove next to the second vehicle and explained that Armbruster had just threatened them with a knife.
The second motorist contacted police and started to follow Armbruster, who was leaving the scene on his bicycle in order to track his movement. Dexter police located Armbruster behind Regions Bank, in the parking lot area. Two Dexter officers approached Armbruster and directed him to get on the ground, but Armbruster allegedly resisted actively, and both officers reportedly took him to the ground to restrain him. During the process of detaining Armbruster, police removed a folding knife from Armbruster’s possession that matched the description of the knife that had been given by the caller.
Armbruster was taken into custody and is faced with two counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child; five counts of third-degree armed criminal action; five counts of unlawful use of a weapon; resisting/interfering with arrest for a felony; and fourth-degree assault.