KINGSTON, Ont. — Police say children fled into the freezing rain without shoes or coats after their father allegedly threatened the family with a hammer in a dispute over garbage.
Investigators say the accused, who was living temporarily with his ex-wife and children, became angry on Tuesday evening when his adult daughter confronted him about dumping garbage in the garage.
Kingston, Ont., police say the man allegedly punched his daughter in the face and grabbed her by the throat before going to the garage and getting a hammer, which he used to smash the daughter's cellphone and threatened to use it on the next person who spoke.
During the altercation the younger children took off outside into the freezing rain, and were followed by the ex-wife and daughter, who gathered them into a car and drove down the road to call police.
Officers say they found the man standing in the family room next to a smashed coffee table holding the hammer, and say he dropped it only after a Taser was deployed.
A 52-year-old man is charged with assault, mischief, uttering threats to cause death, and possession of a weapon.
