‘Pirate’ arrested for terroristic threats at ferry terminal

A man witnesses described as “dressed like a pirate” faces a charge of second-degree terroristic threatening, a felony, following an incident last Friday evening at the Homer Ferry Terminal. Homer police arrested Bret Herrick, 54, on the charge. No one was injured, and Herrick did not resist arrest, said Homer Police Chief Mark Robl.

Herrick wasn’t actually dressed as a pirate, Robl said, and wore a red bandana, a black leather jacket and boots. He also carried a foot-long knife in a sheath partially visible from the jacket. According to a criminal complaint, police received multiple 911 calls at 5:10 p.m. that Herrick harassed people in the ferry parking lot as they waited to board the M/V Kennicott. In his affidavit, Sgt. David Shealy said at one point Herrick went into the terminal and told a woman, “We’re all going to die.”

Another witness told Shealy that Herrick was animated and was seen talking to the windows and walls. People moved away from Herrick as he harassed them and was loud and boisterous. 

“He was acting very strange,” Robl said. “He started acting increasingly agitated, belligerent and violent, and we ended up arresting him.”

Shealy wrote that Herrick said he didn’t know why officers wanted to talk to him and he denied harassing or threatening anyone. Police found the knife when they patted him down for weapons. Carrying a knife that length isn’t illegal, Robl said, and police didn’t charge Herrick with weapons misconduct. Herrick admitted to drinking earlier in the day, but did not appear intoxicated, Shealy wrote.

Herrick was charged in 2012 with kidnapping, armed assault robbery and burglary in an incident in August 2012 when he allegedly entered an East Skyline Drive home armed with a gun and demanded money. A man said Herrick forced him into his truck and drove him to an ATM and made him withdraw money. Alaska State Troopers later arrested Herrick in December 2012 and said he resisted arrest.

After witnesses off fishing were unable to testify at a May 2013 jury trial, Herrick accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and two counts of fourth-degree assault. The other charges were dismissed. He was sentenced to 220 days jail time to serve and released for time served. Herrick also was placed on three years probation.

At his arraignment, bail was set at a $2,500 cash performance bond with a third-party custodian. As of Tuesday, Herrick was in custody at Wildwood Pretrial Facility, Kenai.

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