Man Charged With Waving Machete At Mother, Sister

Casper police arrested Eric Phifer for threatening to kill his mother and sister with a machete early Sunday morning, according to court records.

Phifer, 38, heard the two felony counts of aggravated assault during his initial appearance before Natrona County Circuit Court Judge Brian Christensen on Monday.

Christensen ordered him held on $20,000 bond, and ordered him to have no contact with the alleged victims.

If convicted, Phifer faces up to 10 years imprisonment on each of the charges.

The case began about 12:30 a.m. Sunday when seven officers responded to a call by Phifer's mother and sister, who were in a vehicle at Second and Sun streets, according to an affidavit filed with Natrona County Circuit Court.

The women told police he was waving a machete and making threats "to cut the mother into pieces" in their residence on East First Street. Phifer's father was still inside the residence.

The sister told police she arrived home at midnight, saw the lights were off, and saw Phifer in the living room near a sliding door. He told her he believed someone was in the home and told her to stand guard.

His mother arrived home about 12:30 a.m., saw her son and daughter in the living room, and saw him holding the machete and pacing and "accusing her of nonsensical things," according to the affidavit.

His mother told him she believed he was on drugs. That angered him and he began cursing her.

When Phifer's sister attempted to calm him down, he spit on her.

They were able to leave the house, and called the father who also left the house.

Phifer left, too, in a vehicle driven by a friend. Police were able to clear the house, and found a machete that the sister and mother said was probably the one he used.

Police located the vehicle at Country Club and Third streets.

When asked about waving the machete at his mother and sister, Phifer said they were liars. He said they may have mistaken some tools he had been using as the weapon.

Phifer was arrested and booked into the Natrona County Detention Center.