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Man accused of threatening to lynch Douglas County health director

Briefing being held by Sheriff's Office
Posted at 1:00 PM, Apr 01, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-27 13:06:49-04

OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The Douglas County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of a man on Wednesday who allegedly made threats against Dr. Adi Pour, the director of the Douglas County Health Department.

UPDATE: Ex-Omaha weatherman sentenced for threatening health director

Authorities said 57-year-old Ronald Penzkowski sent around 15 threatening emails to Pour's work e-mail address and threatened to slice her throat and lynch her.

Authorities said they were able to trace a phone back to Penzkowski, a Douglas County resident. A search warrant was executed at his home on Tuesday. Authorities said they found a device that was linked to being the source of the threats against Pour.

Penzkowski is a former local television meteorologist and spokesman for then-Mayor Jim Suttle. He used the name Ron Gerard when he worked on air.

Pour has been near the forefront of the area's fight against the coronavirus. Authorities said the e-mails dealt with her response as public health director. Dep. Chief Wheeler said Pour has tough decisions to make and is working tirelessly for the community.

Penzkowski was charged with terroristic threats, a felony, and stalking, a misdemeanor. He was booked into Douglas County Corrections.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said a watch was put on Pour's home and office.

The investigation is ongoing.

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