Man Calling Himself 'Jesus Christ' Destroys MTA Vehicle: Feds

DOBBS FERRY, NY — A Westchester County man was arrested after being accused of destroying an occupied MTA vehicle and threatening police officers who responded to the scene.

Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Nicholas Skulstad, 33, of Dobbs Ferry, was taken into federal custody Thursday based on a criminal complaint charging him with destruction of a motor vehicle employed in interstate commerce.

Strauss said Skulstad used his vehicle as a weapon, repeatedly ramming it into an occupied MTA vehicle, then shattering the driver's window.

"When police officers responded, Skulstad allegedly charged at and threatened them, and had in his car a notebook page titled 'List — To Kill,' with the names of public figures," she said. "Thanks to the combined response of law enforcement officers and agents, Skulstad is in custody and facing a serious federal charge."

According to prosecutors, on April 5, Skulstad rammed his car repeatedly into an MTA vehicle driven by an MTA employee in Ossining, damaging the MTA vehicle and forcing it off the road.

Police said Skulstad then got out of his car, approached the MTA vehicle on foot and banged on the driver-side window until it shattered.

When officers from the Ossining Police Department got to the scene, Skulstad yelled at an officer, "I'm Jesus Christ! You are going to die today! Are you ready to die?" according to prosecutors.

He then charged a police car, throwing his body into the driver-side door and yelling threats at an officer inside, authorities said.

Skulstad resisted attempts by officers to subdue him, before eventually being taken into custody, police said.

Officers said they searched Skulstad's car and found, among other things, a shell casing and a notebook with a page titled "List — To Kill" that had names of various current and former public officials and other public figures.

The charge of destruction of a motor vehicle employed in interstate commerce carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Strauss said the case was being handled by the office's Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit.

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