4 hours Ago By By James Allen Daily Journal Media
A New York Mills man was taken into custody on Nov. 20, after he caused extensive damage to a mental health facility in Fergus Falls. James Donald Nelson, 53, has been charged with first-degree criminal damage to property and fifth-degree assault causing fear.
According to a court complaint, on Nov. 20, law enforcement was called to a mental health facility unit that works with clients in crisis, where Nelson was reportedly throwing items around and making potentially homicidal statements to staff. Court documents say that when Fergus Falls police officers arrived at the scene, they observed smoke in the air on the unit, which was later determined to be residue from the contents of a fire extinguisher.
Nelson was seated outside the unit and appeared docile and not a threat at that moment. A staff member told an officer that Nelson had become irate and had begun breaking items in his room, including tables and a bed. Court records say that at some point, Nelson had grabbed a fire extinguisher and began spraying its contents all over the unit, and had approached the staff in a threatening manner with the extinguisher.
The damage from the incident appeared to be so extensive, the unit had to close their facility due to health concerns. The interior of the facility was coated with a white powder or dust from the fire extinguisher. A responding officer was periodically coughing from contents in the air, and the fire alarm had been activated and was sounding.
Staff at the facility indicated that the unit would need a professional cleaner to come in, and estimated it would cost over $2,500 to clean the facility. While Nelson was being questioned following the incident, he told an officer that he had been notified he was being kicked out of the unit and became angry. He stated that he attacked his room and sprayed the fire extinguisher all over, but explained that if anyone felt threatened because he was getting “rowdy,” he did not mean it that way.
Nelson admitted he sprayed the fire extinguisher “because he could.” Nelson remains in custody at the Otter Tail County Detention Center..
