A 24-year-old transient man was arrested Wednesday afternoon in downtown Lawrence after threatening restaurant patrons with a railroad spike.

According to Lawrence Police Sgt. Damon Thomas, the transient man had been walking down Massachusetts Street when he approached some people drinking in the outdoor patio area at an area restaurant.

Thomas said the man asked some people drinking outside Free State Brewing Co., 636 Massachusetts St., if he could have a beer or cigarette. When the people refused, the man became belligerent. He then produced what the patrons of the restaurant originally believed to be a knife and began threatening people with it. Thomas said the weapon turned out to be a railroad spike.

The patrons were able to talk the transient man down and then called the police.

Thomas said the suspect then turned around as if he were going to attack someone, but was tackled by a 49-year-old Lawrence man and held until police arrived. When officers reached the scene, they subdued the man and took him into custody.

The man was booked into the Douglas County Jail about 6:20 p.m. on charges of aggravated assault and criminal damage.

No one was injured during the incident.