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Klinejg, I think you handled it just right (with the obvious exception of not carrying). Before calling the police you went and tried to talk to the neighbor about the problem. As an officer, i always thought mor epeople should try talking with their neighbors first, and then call us when it did not work, instead of just calling us with anonymous reports about a problem.

And, when the talk was not productive, you left and called the police. The threats from him were good reason to leave the area and let the professionals handle it.

As for filing charges, I am not sure you really could have made a case worth the hassle of filing charges. The threats to you are very marginal for a threat charge. The win at your wife's car was a good case for criminal mischief (class C, for inconvenience, more if there was actual damage). It might have been an assault, but it would also be a class C since there was no real contact with your wife and no injuries. Class C misdemeanors very rarely do the person filing the charge any real good, though they do get the criminal a record with the police. If the police thought the guy needed a trip to jail, they coul dhave done it already for public intoxication, so they must have agreed with you that it was not needed quite yet.

But, I do want to warn you now to be careful of further action. If the neighbor does anything more to you, it will probably meet the grounds of retaliation. Any illegal act done to you because you called the police is retaliation, and that is a felony. I do strongly recommend that you file that charge if it becomes necessary.