(WNY News Now) – A 45-year-old Falconer man was arrested after Town of Ellicott Police investigated a disorderly person complaint involving alleged threats with a hatchet and lighter fluid.

ELLICOTT, N.Y. — The Town of Ellicott Police Department has charged Michael G. Newman, 45, of Falconer, with first-degree menacing with a weapon and second-degree harassment following a disorderly person incident on July 21, 2026.

According to police, officers responded to a report of a disorderly person where it is alleged Newman was waving a hatchet and pouring lighter fluid on the floor of an apartment while threatening to set the building on fire.

Police arrested Newman at the scene and transported him to the Chautauqua County Jail for centralized arraignment.

He is scheduled to appear in the Town of Ellicott Court at a later date to answer the charges.

The charges are accusations, and Newman is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.