A St. Paul man pointed a gun at a neighbor in an argument over snow removal, according to criminal charges filed Monday.

Saul Lopez-Alvarado, 29, was arrested after the incident Friday and charged with terroristic threats in Ramsey County District Court. He remained in custody Monday.

According to a criminal complaint, St. Paul police were called to the 800 block of Duchess Street about 2:15 Friday on a report of a dispute between neighbors involving a gun.

The complaint gives this account:

A 20-year-old woman identified as DH told officers that she had been removing snow from her vehicle when an argument began with Lopez-Alvarado, who was upset about where the woman was putting the snow.

Lopez-Alvarado took a swing at DH and then produced a revolver, which he pointed at her. Two witnesses corroborated DH’s account.

When officers went to Lopez-Alvarado’s home, his wife let them in and told them where to find the gun, which turned out to be a BB gun. She told officers that DH slapped her husband, which angered him. The wife said Lopez-Alvarado did get the gun, but he kept it at his side; she denied that he pointed the firearm at anyone, the complaint said.

Lopez-Alvarado told police he was protecting himself and that he had been assaulted by DH before he retrieved the gun.

Lopez-Alvarado appeared in court Monday afternoon and was ordered to have no contact with the complainant. His next court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 9.

Elizabeth Mohr can be reached at 651-228-5162. Follow her at twitter.com/LizMohr.