ACTON — A man whom police allege attempted to assault his mother with a knife and threatened his two sisters in January has been indicted on two felony counts.

A York County grand jury on Tuesday handed up indictments charging Emanuel J. Sloboda, 31, of Acton, with domestic violence terrorizing and criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon. Both are Class C felonies that carry a maximum prison term of five years upon conviction.

The alleged crimes took place on Jan. 11. Sheriff William King said the incidents took place after the family arrived in Acton after what King described as a harrowing drive with Sloboda behind the wheel. King said Sloboda’s mother and sisters said he was operating erratically, dodging into oncoming lanes and at one point allegedly confronted another driver in a pharmacy parking lot.

According to police accounts, once back in Acton, the mother and her 14-and 18-year-old daughters managed to run away and hide behind a neighbors’ house until sheriff’s deputies arrived and took Sloboda into custody. 

 King said deputies were told that Sloboda was drunk and had threatened his mother and sisters.

“The family victims explained that they relocated to Maine to live with Emanuel and his girlfriend in his mobile home a couple of months ago,” King wrote in a statement. “Recently, the pipes had frozen and the women were unable to take a shower. They asked Emanuel to take them to the local YMCA to use the shower.” King said the women told him that request seemed to anger Sloboda, but he complied.

“At approximately 6 p.m., when they were returning from the YMCA, Sloboda, although intoxicated, appeared to be under the influence of something else because he was driving his 2001 Chevrolet Blazer erratically,” King further wrote. “According to the witnesses, Emanuel was tailgating other motorists, driving in the oncoming lane, etc. If another motorist honked or motioned for him to move, he became confrontational.”

King said at one point, Sloboda followed a motorist into the Rite Aid parking lot and confronted the driver.

Fearing for their safety, King said, the women begged him to stop the vehicle so they could get out, which seemed to anger him, the sheriff said in a January statement. 

“Once he turned onto Sanders Lane, Emanuel stopped the car and produced a knife, threatening his mother for ‘telling him to stop the car,’” King wrote. “The terrified women fled the vehicle once it was stopped and sought refuge at a neighbor’s house on Foxes Ridge Road. Unfortunately, the women did not find anybody home at the residence but called the Sheriffs Office to summon assistance. The three victims hid behind the neighbor’s house until deputies arrived.”

Sloboda was released from York County Jail in Alfred after posting $1,000 bail, a corrections officer said Friday.

Sloboda was arrested in June when his former girlfriend texted the Sheriff’s Office for help after he apparently showed up at her home in defiance of a court order barring him from having contact with her. It is unclear if the June case has been resolved.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].