UPDATE 2/1/23 — Smith pleaded not guilty to his charges on Dec. 13. He is scheduled for a criminal setting at 8:30 a.m. on April 5.

Original story:

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A man was arrested after police responded to a call about a man pretending to be an officer before attacking a person with a Bowie knife.

Nathan Wendell Smith, 38, of Springfield, was arrested on Dec. 11 and formally charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon and three misdemeanors: one count of fourth-degree assault and two of false impersonation of a law enforcement officer.

According to a Springfield Police Department report, officers were called to a West Sunshine Street gas station, where the victim said Smith approached them, announced he was a police officer and demanded the victim leave the parking lot. The victim said that they were going to call 911 and Smith ran away.

The victim stayed in the parking lot and eventually Smith came back with a bottle of alcohol, announced that he was a police officer and again demanded the victim leave. The victim later told officers that when they refused, Smith announced he was going to beat the victim up, pulled out a Bowie knife and began slashing at them. While they were dodging the knife swings, Smith allegedly kicked them in the leg and at some point poured alcohol in their vehicle.

After officers made contact with Smith, he admitted that he approached the person and told them he was an undercover officer because he thought the victim was trying to kill everyone and had bodies in their vehicle.

Smith was taken to the Greene County Jail. He has not yet been scheduled for a court appearance.