OCONOMOWOC, Wis. — A sword-wielding Wisconsin man broke into his neighbor's apartment thinking he was chivalrous after hearing the cries of a woman he thought was in peril — but instead, she was in porn.
James Van Iveren was in his Oconomowoc apartment listening to music when he heard loud cries from a woman he thought was pleading for help, reported the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The 39-year-old grabbed a cavalry sword, a family heirloom, and rushed upstairs to forcibly open the quarters of an upstairs tenant he barely knew.
"It was a woman screaming," Van Iveren said of the Feb. 12 incident. "She was screaming for help."
Bret Stieghorst told police that he was watching a pornographic DVD when Van Iveren kicked open his door, damaging the frame and lock in the process, with a 39-inch blade in hand.
Stieghorst said Van Iveren demanded "Where is she?" while thrusting the sword at him.
The neighbor told police Van Iveren became increasingly aggressive as he repeated the question, insisting that he had heard a woman being raped. The complaint said that, with the sword pointed at him, the neighbor led Van Iveren throughout the apartment, opening closet doors to prove he was alone.
Van Iveren insisted that he never threatened the neighbor with the sword.
"I had the sword extended. But that was all," he said. "I walked in the front room and looked around. When I saw there was no woman, I left," he said.
Van Iveren called it a mistake and said that his actions had nothing to do with Stieghorst.
"I intended to hold it behind my back and knock. But I froze and instead, what happened happened," Van Iveren said. "Now I feel stupid. This really is nothing, nothing but a mistake."
Police arrested Van Iveren on misdemeanor charges of criminal trespassing while using a dangerous weapon, criminal damage to property while using a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while using a dangerous weapon. If convicted he could face a maximum total penalty of 33 months in jail. Officers also confiscated his family's sword.
An officer for the Oconomowoc police said the investigation is ongoing.
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