At the end of a nearly three-hour standoff Thursday, Stratford police arrested a St. Marys man who allegedly threatened to kill his neighbor and their dog before barricading himself inside his home.
Officers were dispatched to a residence near Park Lane and Thomas Street in St. Marys at 10:30 am after receiving a complaint of a man threatening to kill his neighbor and their dog, police said. The responding officers found the man barricaded inside his home.
As officers attempted to make contact with the man, police allege he repeatedly threatened to harm the officers on scene. Police also said the man had allegedly been blasting an air-raid siren at all hours of the day and night over the past few days.
Police secured the area around the man’s home and closed surrounding streets as negotiators continued to attempt contact. After the man refused to speak with police and turn himself over, Stratford police deployed officers with its tactical unit, who entered the home and arrested the man without incident at 1:38 pm
Police said the man, a 54-year-old St. Marys resident, has outstanding warrants for his arrest on file after failing to attend court for a long list of charges, including assault with a weapon, uttering death threats and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose dating back to October 2021, as well as assault with a weapon, resisting arrest, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and flight from police from March of last year.
His new charges include three counts of uttering threats and a single count of mischief. He is being held in police custody at Stratford Police Headquarters to attend a bail hearing.