By: E&P Staff The advertising director for the Times-News in Burlington, N.C., has been charged with threatening a man with a handgun and assaulting him, the newspaper reported Friday.
Zachary A. Creech, 39, has been the Freedom Communications-owned newspaper's ad director since January 2003.
In an unbylined story, the paper quotes a warrant saying on May 7 Creech confronted Jason Lee Hicks, showed him a handgun, and hit his head while trying to choke him. Creech threatened to "do away" Hicks, according to the warrant.
The paper said Creech was arrested Tuesday by Burlington police, and released. A June court date has been scheduled.
In a statement to the paper, Creech called the allegations "a false and obvious act of retaliation" by his ex-wife, Christal Wood, who is attempting to "ruin my name in this community" in an effort to regain custody of their children.
Creech added that Hicks has an outstanding criminal warrant for death threats Hicks made against him.
"It's unfortunate that our legal system allows someone to be charged and arrested based strictly on a person's statement," Creech said in his statement. "These charges will be dismissed."
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