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| HAWKINS TEAGUE/Ledger & Times
Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lance Allison speaks to Chamber members at Tuesday’s Business@Breakfast event in the Regional Special Events Center’s Murray Room. |
10-hour standoff ends peacefully last night
By TOM BERRY
Staff Writer
A Calloway County man that allegedly made a death threat against his wife during a domestic dispute surrendered to police Wednesday night following a 10 1/2-hour standoff.
According to a news release from Kentucky State Police, KSP and Calloway County Sheriff's Department personnel responded to a complaint of a verbal dispute at 481 Countryside Dr., between Kenneth Holt, 55, and his wife.
When police arrived, Holt's wife was outside the residence. She said Holt had allegedly threatened her life during the dispute and there were numerous weapons inside the home. Police attempted to get Holt to come outside the home by the use of telephone and a bullhorn, but could not get him to answer verbally or exit.
KSP Trooper Dean Patterson, a spokesman for Post 1 in Mayfield, was on the scene. He told the Murray Ledger & Times by telephone that police were trying to resolve the situation without anyone getting hurt.
“The wife is out of the house and she's safe. Right now we're just trying to get the husband to come out,” Patterson said around 4 p.m.
Murray-Calloway County Hospital EMS and sheriff's department vehicles were used to block entrances to the area at Countryside Drive and Ky. 121 South and at the intersection of Old Salem Road and Chickadee Drive. Some residents trying to access the area by vehicle were not allowed. Some wanting access to their homes were only allowed if they did not live in close proximity to the Holt home.
Two local farmers working nearby were asked by police to discontinue as a safety precaution. Police did not provide details about the reasons for the evacuation. The farmers later showed up at the Chickadee Drive roadblock asking emergency personnel what was happening.
“We were laying down fertilizer and these guys with shotguns told us we had to stop,” one farmer said.
A Paducah Explosive Ordinance Unit was called to the scene for use of a robot to enter and communicate with Holt inside the house. The KSP Special Response Team stood by to act if needed.
Murray-Calloway County Hospital Chaplain Kerry Lambert and a nurse also stood by at the Chickadee Drive roadblock.
About 10:30 p.m., an arrest warrant and a search warrant were secured. Then, after numerous efforts by police, Holt exited the home and was arrested without incident. He was charged with third-degree terroristic threatening.
Holt was not taken to jail but was taken to a facility in Mayfield for evaluation, according to Patterson.
An investigation of the incident is continuing by Kentucky State Police. KSP was also assisted by the Murray Police Department and Calloway County Fire-Rescue.
Story created Oct 02, 2008 - 11:44:04 EDT.
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