A Lewiston man was arrested Tuesday morning after threatening a jogger with a knife.

According to the jogger he ran into the suspect near the 700 block of Snake River Avenue. He was jogging along when the suspect growled and made gestures at him. The jogger continued on his way, and then returned, passing by the same location where he had seen the suspect earlier.

This time, as the jogger attempted to pass him by, the suspect growled at him, blocked his path and told him to go around. The suspect then pulled a folding knife from his pocket and pointed it in the direction of the jogger.

The jogger eventually left the suspect, who followed him for a short distance, behind and called police, giving officers a description of what the suspect looked like and what he was wearing.

Officers caught up with the suspect in the 300 block of Snake River Avenue, the suspect ignored the officers as they made contact with him and eventually they had to physically restrain him.

Benjamin Kovach, 26, of Lewiston was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault and booked into the Nez Perce County Jail.

Kovach's mother, Diane Kovach, said Wednesday that her son has a history of mental illness and that police refused to arrest him on Monday -- the day before Kovach contronted the jogger -- after he threatened a family member.