A now-former Newcastle police officer is behind bars, accused of stalking a nurse at Weston County Health Services Hospital and demanding she come outside, then sprinting toward her vehicle with a loaded gun in his hand.
Nicholas Joseph Kaminski, 36, was arrested Sunday by Newcastle Police Chief Derek Thompson, as first reported by the News Letter Journal. Thompson later contacted the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation because Kaminski was employed as a sergeant by the Newcastle Police Department.
He’s being held on a $35,000 cash-only bond.
DCI recommended the Weston County Sheriff's Office investigate the case, according to an affidavit of probable written by Weston County Sheriff's Deputy Daniel Fields.
On Tuesday, Kaminski was charged in Weston County Circuit Court with aggravated assault and battery and threatening another person with a drawn deadly weapon, both felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
As conditions of bond, he is prohibited from contacting the alleged victim and must be fitted with a GPS monitoring device before any release from custody.
'U Have 3 Minutes'
The confrontation reportedly began May 22, the affidavit says.
Fields wrote that Kaminski had been placed on leave earlier that day following an incident involving a nurse who worked at the hospital.
Around 10 p.m., the nurse contacted law enforcement to report Kaminski was repeatedly calling and texting her while he was outside the hospital, the affidavit says. The messages included demands, threats and ultimatums.
"U should have went outside," one text allegedly sent by Kaminski reads.
Another followed, saying: "Hey ur f***ing ass outside. Or I'm coming in."
The nurse repeatedly tried to de-escalate the situation.
"Please just stop all of this," she texted back. "It doesn't have to be like this. You are the only one making it this way. Please."
Kaminski answered with a series of text messages: "U have 3 minutes to either come out here or answer the phone;" "Answer the f***ing phone;" and "U made this worse by not coming outside."
Kaminski eventually left the parking lot, but the calls and texts continued through the night, wrote Fields.
Hours later around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, a hospital employee stepped outside for a smoke break and reported seeing a man dressed in dark clothing walking nearby.
Crossing The Parking Lot
Just before 4 a.m., the nurse prepared to leave work, and the affidavit says Weston County law enforcement Officer McKinzie Parrish accompanied her outside.
The nurse got into her vehicle, then Kaminski emerged from the nearby Wayback Burgers parking lot, crossed the connected lot and headed toward her car, the affidavit says.
Parrish ordered Kaminski to leave.
As the nurse began driving away, Parrish told him that, "She doesn't want to talk to you."
Kaminski allegedly answered: "I don't give a f***. Shut the f*** up” as the nurse drove toward the back side of the hospital.
Kaminski then "started to sprint towards the vehicle," appearing to try to catch it or cut it off, the affidavit says.
As the nurse drove away, Parrish went inside to secure the hospital, and she saw Kaminski's vehicle loop through the parking lots at a "a high rate of speed," wrote Fields.
Loaded Glock, Knife And Brass Knuckles
Chief Thompson later located Kaminski and initiated a traffic stop at an intersection in town.
According to the affidavit, Thompson ordered Kaminski out of the vehicle and placed him under arrest. A subsequent search revealed a Glock 48 handgun tucked into Kaminski's waistband.
The pistol was loaded with a 10-round magazine and one round chambered, according court records. Investigators also found a large folding knife, brass knuckles, and a cellphone.
Kaminski was transported to the Weston County Detention Center, and his initial court appearance was held on Tuesday morning.
The case was prosecuted by Crook County Attorney DaNece Day.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
