Man accused of trying to kill self and wife

CORNWALL — A local man was arrested July 20 after allegedly threatening to kill his wife and himself.State police responded to a 1 a.m. report of a disturbance at 285 Sharon-Goshen Turnpike (Route 128), at an apartment above the Little Guild of St. Francis Animal Shelter.Joshua Bentz, 28, had allegedly attacked his wife when she returned home. In her statement to police, she said Bentz was upset that she had left him without cigarettes. He then attempted to strangle her on their bed. She said he then pulled a long gun out of a closet, loaded it, pointed it at her and pulled the trigger. The gun either misfired or was not properly loaded. Bentz then turned the gun on himself, threatening to kill them both.He later left the apartment, she said. Troopers located him at about 3:30 a.m. at a Litchfield residence. He was arrested and taken to the State Police Troop B barracks in North Canaan for processing, and held for an arraignment in Bantam Superior Court later that morning.The gun was not located.Bentz was initially charged with disorderly conduct, criminal possession of a firearm, criminal attempt to commit manslaughter with a firearm, third-degree assault, second-degree threatening, first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree strangulation and first-degree unlawful restraint.At the arraignment, Judge Corrine Klatt dismissed, due to lack of evidence, the firearm possession, attempted manslaughter and strangulation charges. That left Bentz with only one felony charge: unlawful restraint. The remaining charges are misdemeanors. A protective order was issued for the victim. Bentz’s bond was reduced from $20,000 to $2,500. He was released and is due in Litchfield Superior Court Aug. 2.