Man charged with attempting to intimidate victims

Published 12:00 am Thursday, June 27, 2024

SALISBURY — A man has been charged after deputies said that he assaulted a man then confronted the victims at their house multiple times in an attempt to intimidate them.

Deputies initially responded to the BP gas station, located at 2023 West C Street, in reference to a physical disturbance at approximately 10 p.m. on June 7, said Captain Mark McDaniel, public information officer for the Rowan County Sheriff’s office. When the deputies arrived on scene, they reportedly found the store with broken glass and ripped packs of beer all over the floor.

The manager of the convenience store said that two people, a male and female, had entered the store and appeared as if they were looking for someone following them, said McDaniel. Another man then allegedly entered the store and grabbed the male and started to assault him before the victim grabbed a bottle of wine and attempted to use it to defend himself. After a few minutes, all three people left the store and drove away.

On June 8, the deputy investigating the assault reportedly asked the other members of the sheriff’s office for help identifying that alleged assaulter. A detective identified the man as 30-year-old Spencer Dale Sechler, which the investigating deputy looked into and confirmed, said McDaniel. The deputy then reportedly took out warrants for the arrest of Sechler for misdemeanor simple assault and misdemeanor injury to personal property.

The deputy reportedly followed up with the victim on June 21, who told him that Sechler had confronted him multiple times since the assault. On one instance, Sechler drove into the victim’s driveway and blocked in his vehicle, with his daughter and girlfriend inside, before throwing beer cans around the yard and threatening to assault the victim again, said McDaniel. At multiple other points, Sechler allegedly drove past the victim’s house slowly, making sure the victim saw him.

Sechler was arrested on June 24 and charged with three additional counts of misdemeanor intimidating or interfering with witnesses. He was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center. Magistrate Benjamin Franklin denied Sechler bond due to the nature of the intimidation charges.