Lower Salford Police Photo by James Short.
The incident occurred at Harleysville Material Company on Indian Creek Road.
A Royersford man has been charged with felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor attempted simple assault by physical menace for threatening to kill his Lower Salford quarry co-worker with a masonry drill bit for conspiring with the company against him and keeping him under a watchful eye.
Police said Patrick Michael Beard, 57, of the 70 block of Ferndale Lane, also faces charges of harassment, and use and possession of drug paraphernalia and intentional possession of a controlled substance for having methamphetamine and hypodermic needles on the job site.
According to an affidavit of probable cause, Lower Salford Township Police were dispatched to Harleysville Material Company at 460 Indian Creek Road for a report of an employee disturbance at 12:24 p.m. June 14.
The victim told police that he was working with Beard on the bottom floor of the quarry, when Beard unexpectedly approached him and began screaming in his face, calling him a “f------- p----” and a “f------ f—,” per the affidavit.
Beard, police allege, grabbed the victim’s shirt as he attempted to walk away, and began accusing him of being “in cahoots” with management. He also accused the victim of watching him on camera through his cell phone, per the affidavit.
The victim walked away again, but Beard, police said, placed a battery-operated Milwauke drill with a quarter-inch masonry bit under the victim’s chin, then “threatened to f------ kill him once he can prove that he is plotting against him with management to get him fired.”
Again, the victim began to walk away, and Beard allegedly approached him again and placed the drill bit against his back. Police said the victim continued to be verbally assaulted by Beard, until he left to avoid a physical fight.
The victim reported the incident to his field manager at the top of the quarry, according to the complaint, who then called police. Authorities allege Beard verbally abused the victim in the past, believing that he was watching him and that management was out to get him.
Police watched surveillance video of the quarry property, where Beard, police allege, is shown being aggressive to West, and following the victim and poking him in the back.
Beard was escorted to the company’s main office where he was taken into custody.
During a search of Beard’s property, police said they found a fabric eyeglass case containing two cotton swabs and a hypodermic needle in a bag and a baggie of white powdery substance in his wallet, which tested positive in the field for methamphetamine.
Beard is free on $10,000 unsecured bail, set by Magisterial District Judge Hakim K. Jones at arraignment, according to court records.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 14 at 1:30 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Adam T. Katzman.
Beard has retained defense attorney Martin P. Mullaney, per court records.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
