Winfield man accused of threatening magistrate, judge, Buffalo Township supervisor

A Winfield man with a history of drunken driving is accused of threatening a Saxonburg district magistrate, a Butler County judge and a Buffalo Township supervisor in different phone messages because he was angry with the latest charges filed against him.

Frederick William Buehler, 61, made six threatening phone calls between last Friday and Sunday, according to state police.

Police said the threats were left in voicemail messages on the phone of Buffalo Township Supervisor Gary Risch Sr.

Also threatened by name, according to police, were Saxonburg-area District Judge Sue Haggerty and Butler County President Judge Thomas Doerr.

Buehler threatened to “throw bodies on (Route) 356” and that those threatened should “get their last meal,” police said.

Buehler said he intended to make good on his threats Thursday, Trooper Richard A. Giustini said.

‘On a mission’

“When I interviewed him, he said he was on a ‘mission from God,’ and he thinks the three are corrupt,” Giustini said.

He said Buehler was “all worked up” about the possibility of serving prison time if convicted in the August drunken-driving case. It would be Buehler’s third drunken-driving conviction.

Court records show jury selection is scheduled for Jan. 23 in Butler County Court against Buehler on charges of driving under the influence with a blood alcohol content of 0.2% or higher — 3rd offense; driving 63 in a 35-mph zone; driving while his license is suspended; and driving an uninspected vehicle.

The case is assigned to Judge Timothy F. McCune.

The new charges

Buehler is now charged at the district court level for retaliation against a prosecutor or judicial official, terroristic threats and harassment. Buehler remained in the Butler County jail Thursday.

Risch is the Buffalo Township supervisor in charge of police matters. He wasn’t available for comment Thursday.

Haggerty, whose magisterial district includes Buffalo Township, said this is first time she has been threatened in her 21 years as a district judge.

“I never thought this would happen,” Haggerty said.

Haggerty said she has known Buehler from being around the area for many years. According to court records, Buehler was in front of Haggerty about eight times in 2018 and this year on summary or drunken-driving charges.

In August, she held to court Buehler’s most recent drunken driving case. Those charges were filed by Buffalo Township police.

Haggerty was the night court judge when state police brought Buehler’s arrest papers to her. Haggerty said she recused herself.

Doerr presided in at least one case in which Buehler pleaded guilty to theft in exchange for the withdrawal of a drunken-driving case.

Doerr wasn’t available for comment Thursday.