AMHERST – A man waving a hypodermic needle in a threatening manner at an employee outside an Amherst supermarket was arrested Thursday evening, according to police.
Officers were called to the Big Y Supermarket, 175 University Drive, at 7:01 p.m. after store security observed a man walk out of the store without paying for $123 worth of merchandise, said Detective Jamie Reardon.
When police got there, the man, identified as Matthew David Witaszek, 32, of Warren, was in the parking lot and was confrontational, using the needle to make threats toward an employee, Reardon said.
After he attempted to flee, Witaszek was arrested near the Dunkin’ Donuts on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a class A drug, heroin, and shoplifting, Reardon said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
