Colchester — A 57-year-old local man is accused of threatening to bomb and kill Connecticut State Police troopers upon his release from custody following an arrest in a possible hate crime, officials said.

State police said troopers responded to the area of Harrington Court on Monday afternoon after receiving a disturbance call. A victim and witness confirmed that Joseph Surwill was harassing her and had pushed her backward with the handle of an ax, police said. Surwill had also screamed at her using profanity and a racial slur, police said.

The victim was uninjured but told police she feared for her safety, police said. Troopers did not find Surwill but located the ax on the scene and seized it as evidence, according to state police.

Police said Surwill was found a short time later at a business on Old Hartford Road and was arrested. Surwill also threatened to bomb Troop K and kill troopers upon his release, police said.

State police said the Hate Crimes Unit was notified of this incident.

Court records show Surwill is charged with second-degree intimidation based on bigotry or bias, second-degree breach of peace, first-degree threatening, interfering with an officer or resisting, and failure to comply with fingerprinting requirements.

Surwill was held in lieu of a $20,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 3, 2024.