Ace Frehley's tour manager facing intimidation charge

Tyler Juranovich, Kokomo Tribune, Ind.
·2 min read
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Jul. 4—The tour manager and personal assistant of Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Kiss, is facing a handful of charges after police say he made a death threat toward the Haynes Apperson Festival's chairman.

John Ostrosky, 53, of Pennsylvania, is facing misdemeanor charges of intimidation, public intoxication and disorderly conduct after police say he told Paul Wyman, "One day I'm going to come back here, and you're dead."

According to a probable cause affidavit filed Monday, police were called to Rhum Academy, 500 W. Superior St., just before midnight Friday for a disturbance. When police arrived, they saw Ostrosky inside the business pacing back and forth.

Those on scene told police that Ostrosky had been causing problems with festival staff all evening and had threatened to fight Wyman multiple times, according to the affidavit. Wyman told police he wanted Ostrosky to leave Rhum Academy or be criminal trespassed.

At one point, Ostrosky is reported to have said that the band would never be coming back to play Kokomo.

Inside of complying with orders to leave the business, according to the affidavit, Ostrosky became even more agitated and belligerent, ignoring his own staff's plea to comply with police and leave. He only left the building after his staff physically pushed him out of the building.

It didn't end there, though.

According to the affidavit, Ostrosky continued to yell and argue with police. Once outside, the disturbance attracted attention from festival goers, some of whom filmed the incident.

Police were able to direct Ostrosky to his van, but the tour manager continued to make a scene.

That's when, according to the affidavit, Ostrosky pointed his finger at Wyman and made the death threat. Wyman, who was sitting on a golf cart with his family, looked to be in state of "disbelief" upon hearing the threat, according to the affidavit.

That's when the KPD officer arrested Ostrosky. A portable breath est showed Ostrosky had a 0.117 breath alcohol content level, according to the affidavit.

Later, Ostrosky told police that he knew he was in the wrong, apologized and said he was only joking when he made the threat, according to the affidavit. He was booked into the Howard County Jail on an $8,000 bond and later bonded out.

The affidavit does not state what initially caused the argument between Ostrosky and festival staff. Ostrosky was in town Friday night for Frehley's performance at the Haynes Apperson Festival.

As of Monday afternoon, an initial hearing has not been scheduled.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.