Amherst man issued signature bond after threats to local Dem Party office
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By Brandi Makuski
An Amherst man who allegedly threatened to kill members of the Portage Co. Democratic Party has been issued a signature bond.
Timothy James Hurda, 45, was in court on April 10 for a bond hearing before Branch III Judge Patricia Baker. He was represented for the hearing by attorney Max Bergner from the state public defenders office.
Hurda faces a single charge of making terrorist threats, punishable by up to three-and-a-half years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000, or both.
According to the complaint, Stevens Point police were called by party members on April 2. The members said that Hurda had threatened violence in a written message to the group via private messenger on its Facebook page.
One of the complainants said they’d previously called police to report a “rude and harassing” phone call, also from Hurda, on March 30, followed up by Hurda’s social media message on April 1.
Hurda’s Facebook message, dated and time-stamped at 8:38 p.m. on April 1, was included in the complaint, and included several homophobic and vulgar remarks, some of which were too obscene to print, claimed that the Democratic Party had “poked the grizzly.”
“We are coming for your heads. And hell is coming with us. There’s nothing I despise more than a liar or someone/something that threatens my family, and you [expletive] did both. And now you will pay. Prepare all you want. It’s going to be tough to defend your precious Communist party without any guns…You all are gonna die,” the message reads in part.
The party members who contacted police said they forwarded the threat to the State Democratic Party Office, and that it “might get flagged by the FBI.” The members said they wanted to press charges.
Officers made contact with Hurda, who admitted to making the comments, and while being questioned by deputies, said he “regretted” sending the message.
“He also said he made the comments on Facebook out of rage after seeing things in the news and on ‘Tiktok,'” the complaint reads. “Timothy admitted to having a number of guns, including an AR style rifle, multiple handguns, a rifle, and a shotgun.” His firearms were documented and photographed by deputies.
Hurda also told officers that he was “never going to go to the Democratic party office and would never shoot a place up. He said the only time he would use a firearm is to defend his house.”
Hurda was released on a $10,000 signature bond based on a recommendation by Assistant District Attorney Danuta Kurczewski. Conditions of his bond include handing over to law enforcement all of his firearms, not possess any weapons, and not to access or possess any social media.
He is scheduled to return to court for an initial appearance on April 24.
