St. Albans man held after stab threats

A St. Albans man, Benjamin J. Peterson, 45, has been held without bail after being charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and petty larceny. His charges stem from an incident at Groundworks Collaborative in Brattleboro, where he allegedly threatened to stab another individual and stole their phone. Peterson was arraigned in Windham Superior Court on Monday.

According to a police affidavit, Officer Cody Johnson was called to Groundworks around 7:45 a.m. on Sunday following reports of a trespassing complaint. Upon arrival, it was reported that Peterson had threatened someone with a knife before leaving the shelter. Just over an hour later, Peterson allegedly returned and issued further threats, although he was not found on the property during the officer's investigation.

Witnesses reported that Peterson confronted a victim outside the shelter, accusing him of stealing his phone. The victim insisted he had not taken Peterson's phone and described how Peterson retrieved a folding knife from his jacket and lunged toward him while making threats. He expressed concern that Peterson might seek revenge later when he was alone.

An employee at Groundworks confirmed Peterson's aggressive behavior and threats to stab the individual he accused of stealing. Following this, the staff member directed Peterson to leave the premises. When police later located him on Flat Street, he was apprehended at gunpoint; officers found the knife and the stolen phone in his possession.

During transport to the police station, Peterson allegedly made statements indicating he planned to harm the victim upon his release. Although Judge John Treadwell initially set bail at $10,000, Peterson remains in custody as the investigation continues.