An individual from Austin faces serious charges following an altercation with a Post Office employee that escalated into threats of violence. Wade Joseph Novak, age 60, is accused of making terroristic threats, including threatening to assault an employee and suggesting intentions to cause harm to the Post Office building. These allegations have led to felony charges being filed against him in Mower County District Court.
Authorities report that the incident occurred on April 15, when an Austin Police officer responded to a distress call from the local Post Office. The employee involved recounted that Novak had initiated a series of phone calls, initially inquiring about a missing package. The situation reportedly deteriorated as Novak began to shout and failed to provide a tracking number, resulting in the employee terminating the call.
Novak allegedly made further calls, during which he purportedly threatened physical assault and implied a potential violent act against the Post Office premises. Despite these accusations, when questioned by law enforcement, Novak denied making any threats but acknowledged his frustration over mail delivery issues. He also confirmed the occurrence of a call during which the possibility of police intervention was mentioned.
Novak is currently in custody at the Mower County Jail, awaiting his initial court appearance scheduled for April 28. This latest incident comes amid his ongoing supervised probation, following a conviction in November of the previous year for impersonating a peace officer. That incident involved the unauthorized use of police-like equipment to pull over a vehicle, during which he falsely identified himself as a detective.
In the earlier case, a subsequent search of Novak’s vehicle unveiled several items resembling law enforcement gear, including a badge, emergency lights, strobe lights, a dash camera, and a replica NAPD badge. These actions have contributed to his current legal predicament, as he continues to navigate the legal consequences of his actions.
