Pa. man, 81, placed on probation after plea in school threat

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) — A retired college faculty member has been placed on probation in connection with a phone call threatening to blow up an elementary school.

PennLive.com reports 81-year-old Lawrence Stabler entered the plea today in Lycoming County Court to a terroristic threats charge. He was sentenced to two years’ probation but was told he could petition to be removed from probation after a year.

Authorities say Stabler left a message on the answering machine at the Donald E. Schick Elementary School threatening to “blow up” the building near Williamsport in October.

The retired member of the automotive technology faculty at the Pennsylvania College of Technology said he misdialed and was trying to return a threatening call he’d received from another number.