MARION COUNTY — A 30-year-old rural Shobonier man was charged in Marion County court Thursday with misdemeanor assault in connection with an incident Wednesday in which he allegedly threatened an employee of the Public Aid office in Centralia with a fire extinguisher.

According to Centralia police, Carl Sprague had earlier taken an extinguisher from the Public Aid office on South Locust. He later reportedly threatened to strike one of the employees of the office when approaching her in the parking lot with the extinguisher raised above his head.

The woman was able to lock herself in her car, and then ultimately run back into the employee entrance of the office as Sprague reportedly was walking toward the front entrance.

When officers arrived on scene, Sprague was reportedly outside and playing a harmonica. He reportedly told officers he took the items “for the government’.

He was formally charged in court Thursday with misdemeanor aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and his bail was set at $5,000.

The court and Sprague’s public defender found there is a bona fide doubt as to his mental fitness and a fitness examination was ordered unless an earlier examination for the Fayette County court is still valid.

The evaluation was ordered in Fayette County following Sprague’s arrest in April on two felony counts of theft.

While in custody in the Fayette County Jail, Sprague reportedly refused to go to court and was described as being “incorrigible.”

He’s next due to appear in Marion County court on October 25th, and on November 28th for a pre-trial hearing in Fayette County court.