
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Fla.
A Panama City Beach man has been arrested and faces several felony charges after he threatened to shoot a victim with a handgun on Monday.
According to a Washington County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post, the WSCO Telecommunications Center received a call in regards to a disturbance around midnight on Monday.
Authorities arrived on the scene to find the victim visibly distressed, stating that the suspect was in her trailer with a handgun and threatened to shoot her. The suspect had appeared from behind the trailer with the gun in hand. After authorities gave verbal commands to drop the weapon, the suspect complied and was taken into custody without further incident. The suspect was later identified as 60-year-old Joseph Anthony Kowalski. The victim stated that when she arrived home, she found that her ex-boyfriend, Kowalski, had broken into her trailer and stolen her handgun. Authorities said that Kowalski threatened to shoot her and himself. He would not let her leave and told her that he did not want her to call law enforcement, however, he eventually allowed her to leave and get help. Kowalski had a prior felony conviction out of the state of Connecticut and was arrested and transported to the Washington County Jail. He is being charged with burglary of an unoccupied structure, theft of a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, six counts of possession of ammo by a state felon, false imprisonment, and state felon in possession of a firearm.