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A Riverdale man was charged with threatening to blow up a nursing and rehabilitation facility in Crete.
On Thursday, Will County prosecutors filed two disorderly conduct charges – one felony and one misdemeanor – against Ralph Erskine, 54, of the 14500 block of Parnell Avenue in connection with the Feb. 19 incident.
On that day, Erskine attempted to contact someone he knew at St. James Manor & Villas but was told that person was not available, according to Crete Police Chief Scott Pieritz.
“Ralph did not like this response and became threatening to staff via the phone,” Pieritz said.
The staff told Erskine not to call back, Pieritz said.
“Later, he called back and continued to threaten them and stated he would blow the building up and ram his car through the front doors,” Pieritz said.
Two weeks earlier, Erskine was involved in a disturbance with St. James and no arrest occurred at that time, Pieritz said.
Prosecutors alleged in a criminal complaint that Erskine communicated to a Crete police officer that he was going to blow up St. James, while knowing at the the time there was “no reasonable ground for believing that the offense would be committed.”
Prosecutors further alleged Erskine made a threat to a person at St. James that he would blow up the facility.
Erskine remained in the Will County jail Friday. His bond was set at $5,000.
St. James Manor & Villas “combines modern elegance with customer service excellence,” according to its website. The location provides short-term rehabilitation, 24-hour skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care and respite care.