Coronavirus: Former Omaha meteorologist threatens to ‘lynch,’ 'slice throat’ of county health director, sheriff says

OMAHA — A former television meteorologist and mayor’s spokesman was arrested after sending threatening emails to a Nebraska county health official, investigators said.

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Ronald Penzkowski, also known by his on-air name Ron Gerard, sent 15 to 30 hostile emails to Dr. Adi Pour, director of the Douglas County Health Department from March 25 to March 31, investigators said Wednesday, the Omaha World-Herald reported.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Capt. Wayne Hudson said Penzkowski attempted to conceal his identity while sending the “threatening and disturbing” emails, the World-Herald reported.

The emails were directed at Pour’s response to the coronavirus and threatened to “lynch” and “slice her throat.” They would come from a new email address each time they were blocked.

One of the emails was sent from the name Frank Gorshin, an actor who played the Riddler on the “Batman” television show, KETV reported.

Investigators traced the emails back to Penzkowski. They are also looking to see if other emails can be traced to him.

Penzkowski was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats and stalking, KETV reported.

“They make those decisions with one common goal, and that’s to protect the public,” Hudson told the World-Herald. “If we get further reports of public officials being threatened, we’re going to take them seriously and we’re going to investigate them thoroughly.”

Pour has worked as director of the health department since 2002, the World-Herald reported.

Penzkowski worked as director of communications under Mayor Jim Suttle before resigning in 2010. Before that, he worked as a television meteorologist.

There are 249 confirmed coronavirus cases and five deaths in Nebraska, The New York Times reported.