Dennis Auker
An Ephrata man called 911 on Thursday and said he was going to beat up a neighbor when the neighbor returned home, police said.
So police responded, arrested 52-year-old Dennis Auker and charged him with making terroristic threats.
"He may have been venting," Ephrata police Lt. Tom Shumaker said. "I think some people don't realize when they call 911 that they are being recorded."
The two neighbors had a verbal dispute earlier Thursday morning, Shumaker said. He did not know what it was about, but said the two have had ongoing issues with each other.
At 11:45 a.m., Auker called 911 and said he was going to beat up his neighbor when the neighbor returned home and put him in the hospital, Shumaker said.
Auker told the dispatcher he would call 911 again when he was finished with the assault, police said.
Police responded to the 100 block of East Walnut Street to ensure the neighbor's safety when he returned home.
When the neighbor arrived, police arrested Auker. He was charged before District Judge Tony Russell and was committed to Lancaster County Prison after failing to post $5,000 bail.
