CARMEL — A man threatening his family and police with an ax was taken into custody Monday afternoon following a tense standoff with the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to a family dispute call at a residence on Five Road at 4:30 p.m., where they found Eugene Woodard, 44, of Dexter, who had been previously issued a criminal trespass notice, attempting to force entry into the home.
Woodard, wielding an ax and a large knife, had threatened to break down the door if he wasn’t allowed inside, according to authorities.
A member of the Sheriff’s Office Command Staff, the first to arrive, found Woodard armed and defiant, ignoring orders to drop his weapons.
Woodard, claiming he would have to be shot before leaving, advanced toward the residence where family members had secured themselves inside.
In a bid to de-escalate the situation, an extensive number of resources were dispatched, including a deputy known to have a good rapport with Woodard from prior interactions, to engage him in negotiations.
As deputies established a perimeter to prevent Woodard from reaching the victims or escaping, they spent considerable time negotiating with him.
Their efforts were ultimately successful when Woodard agreed to disarm and surrender.
However, during the process of transporting Woodard to a police vehicle, he became combative and resisted arrest.
He was subsequently subdued and taken to Penobscot County Jail, where he has been charged with criminal trespass and refusing to submit to arrest or detention.
The Sheriff’s Office commended the restraint and tactical planning of the responding deputies in resolving the incident without violence.
