A Moscow man attacked a fellow boarding house tenant with a wooden club after the victim complained about bathroom conditions and bedbugs, police say.
Bruce Wilmot, 59, told police he “couldn’t take it anymore” and attacked the other man in an attempt to “muzzle” him, according to a criminal complaint.
Wilmot faces charges of assault and disorderly conduct.
According to the complaint, at about 8 p.m. on Tuesday Cpl. Martin Cieless responded to the Market Street Inn on Market Street for the report of a man behaving erratically.
Cieless noted the inn is also a 10-room boarding house.
When Cieless arrived at the inn, a bartender directed him to the second floor, where he could hear yelling.
There he found Michael Tenore, owner of the inn, holding Wilmot down.
Cieless arrested Wilmot after pulling Tenore off him.
Angelo Riggi, the victim, said Wilmot attacked him with a wooden club, hitting him on the head several times.
Officers noted Riggi was bleeding from the head and knees and summoned emergency medical services.
Riggi showed officers a 16-inch wooden club with strands of hair embedded in it.
Wilmot was escorted from the building and placed in the police cruiser.
Wilmot told police Riggi had been yelling in the hallway, causing problems and complaining about bedbugs, bathroom conditions and other issues.
Wilmot said he couldn’t take it anymore and was attempting to “muzzle” Riggi.
Emergency medical personnel treated Riggi at the scene, but he refused to be transported to the hospital. He said he would follow up with his family doctor the next morning.
Wilmot remains at Lackawanna County Prison in lieu of $5,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m. on Feb. 10 before District Judge Paul Ware.