Man charged with threatening DelDOT mower with chainsaw

A Bridgeville man faces charges after police say he menaced a DelDOT tractor with a chainsaw Aug. 5 and assaulted the driver.

Troopers responded about 9:30 a.m. Aug. 5 to Handy Road near Craft Road in Bridgeville for a report of an assault and learned a vehicle driven by John Gleysteen, 30, had collided with a Delaware Department of Transportation tractor that was mowing grass. Police said Gleysteen argued with the DelDOT employee and then left the scene but returned a short time later. Police said Gleysteen removed a chainsaw from his truck and placed the running chainsaw near the tire of the tractor before forcibly entering the cab of the DelDOT tractor. Once inside the cab, police said, Gleysteen assaulted the victim, damaged his property and fled the scene. The victim was not injured.

Delaware State Police arrested Gleysteen Aug. 10 and took him to Troop 5 where he was charged with possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, aggravated menacing, harassment, offensive touching, and two counts criminal mischief under $1,000 damage property.

He was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 3 and committed to Sussex Correctional Institution in default of $67,300 cash bond.