Threats against cabbie prompt felony harassment charge

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A 55-year-old Port Hadlock man was arrested for making death threats after he allegedly told a taxi driver he would “bust his teeth” and “slit his throat.”

Paul Anthony Zorotovich was arraigned in Jefferson County Superior Court on March 17 for felony harassment-threats to kill.

He entered a pleading of not guilty to the charge.

Bail was set at $10,000 and his total bail amount was $12,500.

Zorotovich’s trial was set for May 15.

Port Townsend police were called to the QFC grocery store on Sheridan Street after a cab driver who arrived there to pick up a fare was confronted by Zorotovich.

The cab driver told Port Townsend police that he’d had confrontations with Zorotovich in the past.

The cabbie said he was waiting when Zorotovich approached him, according to court documents.

Zorotovich started waving a wrench around when making threats, the driver told police. The man said he “thought he was about to be attacked and seriously injured,” according to a probable cause statement.

When contacted by an officer, Zorotovich denied threatening the cab driver.

A wrench was found nearby. Zorotovich also denied knowing where it came from.

Police took the tool as evidence and Zorotovich was jailed and booked for felony harassment.

In the probable cause statement, an officer wrote that Port Townsend police have had multiple calls with Zorotovich, and he “has been known to have mental heath issues and self-medicate with methamphetamine.”

The report also said multiple protection orders have been filed in the past against Zorotovich.

The cab driver also told officers that within the past two weeks, Zorotovich had called for a cab to pick him up at a gas station after he had run out of gas.

Zorotovich wanted a ride back to his car, but when the cab driver arrived, Zorotovich became agitated and would not get into the taxi. The cab driver said he left for his own safety.

Conviction of felony harassment with threats to kill can result in a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine upon conviction.