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 .