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WILKES-BARRE — Former Wilkes-Barre Township fire chief John Paul Yuknavich, charged more than a year ago for causing a disturbance at a service station, waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Luzerne County Central Court on Thursday.

Township police charged Yuknavich, 57, after he allegedly accosted two men who he believed were trying to steal his PIN while he attempted to use an automated-teller machine at US Gas on North Walnut Street on Jan. 12, 2020.

Yuknavich allegedly knocked the cell phone from one man’s hand as he attempted to record the incident and threatened to kill both of them.

Police in court records say Yuknavich got into his pickup truck and nearly struck one of the men as he left.

Police located the truck at Yuknavich’s mother’s house, at which point, Yuknavich confronted officers saying, “I’m sick and tired of these (expletive) (racial slur) and drug dealers coming into this town … I think I’ll beat the next one I see walking past the house,” court records say.

Yuknavich went back into the house but later returned at US Gas as officers were reviewing surveillance footage.

Police in court records noted Yuknavich had been drinking for approximately eight hours, consuming 15 drinks prior to the incident at US Gas.

Yuknavich waived two counts each of terroristic threats, disorderly conduct and harassment, and one count each of simple assault, tampering with evidence and reckless driving to county court.

Police withdrew counts of public drunkenness and driving under the influence against Yuknavich.

Yuknavich is no stranger to legal troubles. He served a six-month sentence in federal prison for stealing $45,000 from the township volunteer fire department. He is also facing a trial in county court on allegations he threatened Kathy Lloyd, the daughter of Wilkes-Barre Township Mayor Carl Kuren, in October 2018.

Ex-fire chief waives hearing in tirade case