Police: Arkansas man threatens to kill roommate with 18-inch-long machete

An Arkansas man is accused of brandishing an 18-inch-long machete at his roommate during a domestic disturbance earlier this week.

James Robinson, 64, of Jonesboro was arrested on charges of first-degree terroristic threatening, aggravated assault on a family or household member and second-degree assault on a family or household member, records show.

The Jonesboro Police Department was called around 5:35 p.m. Thursday to a domestic disturbance at a home in the 900 block of West Jefferson Avenue. The fight was over money that Robinson believed his roommate owed him, according to a report.

The victim, a 51-year-old woman, said she went to her bedroom and slammed the door, at which point Robinson became "even more angry."

She later left the bedroom and went into a bathroom, where Robinson pushed her onto the floor, police said. When the victim got up, she noticed that Robinson had grabbed a machete from under his bed and wielded it in a “threatening manner,” according to the report.

Robinson then reportedly told the woman that he would kill her if she called police, but she was able to step outside and call authorities.

Speaking with an officer, Robinson described the weapon as a butcher knife, adding that he used it to “unlock his bedroom door.”

The officer noted that he was twitching and that his speech was "very rapid and mumbled."

Records show Robinson was booked into the Craighead County jail at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. He remained jailed as of Friday afternoon.

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