SKOWHEGAN — A local man was arrested late Sunday after police said he allegedly waved a handgun at his neighbors and threatened to shoot them from inside his house just 20 feet away

Skowhegan police received a complaint of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon at 682 Back Road just after 10 p.m. Sunday.

Ryan Willis, 28, reportedly was waving a .40-caliber Hi-Point pistol inside his residence and made threats to harm his neighbor, Detective Don Avery said Monday. Police said Willis was highly intoxicated and had been drinking most of the night.

Officer Brian Gardiner arrived and spoke to the neighbors, who said Willis had been over to their house earlier, drinking. They said that when he returned to his own residence, he appeared to be angry and pulled out a handgun and pointed it at their house and made reference to shooting the neighbor from his own residence, according to Avery.

The neighbors told Willis that the police had been called, and he reportedly put the handgun in his barbecue grill outside his home.

Willis denied making threats to the neighbor and “was highly intoxicated and not making much sense,” Avery said.

There were no threats made to the neighbor in person and everything that allegedly was said was said from inside Willis’ home, Avery said. There had been no trouble between Willis and his neighbors before Sunday’s incident, he said.

Gardiner arrested Willis on charges of reckless conduct with a firearm and threatening display of a weapon. He was taken to the Somerset County Jail in East Madison to await his first court appearance Monday.

Doug Harlow — 612-2367

dharlow@centralmaine.com

Twitter:@Doug_Harlow