Gene Michael Poe

WARSAW — A Plymouth man was arrested last week after he threatened to kill his grandma and forced her to accompany him to a local gas station. While at the gas station, the grandmother was able to get an employee to call the police for help.

Gene Michael Poe, 33, 1400 Pioneer Drive, Plymouth, is being charged with criminal confinement, a level 3 felony, and intimidation with a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the Kosciouscko County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call on Friday, Feb. 16. According to the call, a subject was armed with a knife and threatening to kill everyone inside of the Marathon Gas Station on US 30.

Upon arrival to the gas station, officers discovered Poe, who was armed with a knife. Poe obeyed the officer’s command to drop the knife but refused to obey further commands. Officers attempted to arrest Poe, but he continued to disobey. At one point, Poe grabbed an officer’s taser. The officer was able to maintain the off switch on the taser while several officers were successful in placing handcuffs on Poe.

After securing the scene, officers were able to speak with the female victim, who is Poe’s grandmother. The victim advised that Poe bagan threatening her earlier in the day at her Warsaw residence. Poe forced her to accompany him to the gas station by holding a utility knife to her side.

While walking across the gas station parking lot, Poe told her, “if you do one thing wrong, I’ll gut you right there in front of everybody.”

Once inside the gas station, the victim convinced Poe to let her use the restroom. While heading in that direction, she was able to gain the attention of an employee by mouthing, “call the cops.” The employee was able to distract Poe long enough for the victim to lock herself in the restroom and then the employee called 911.

Poe is currently in custody at the Kosciusko County Jail with a $20,250 surety and cash bond.