A Delmar man was arrested on Saturday morning after a nearly 11 hour standoff with police.
Police said James K. Baxter, 57 was arrested on Saturday, April 6, at approximately 9:20 a.m. after the Bethlehem Police Department responded to 15 Huntersfield Road the following night for a domestic dispute between two brothers involving weapons. The caller had notified police around 10:30 p.m.on Friday, and was advised to leave the house and meet officers up the street.
Upon arrival to the home, officers said they were advised that Baxter was allegedly in the house alone, intoxicated and armed with a .22 caliber rifle. Officers approached the house, and allegedly observed Baxter in an upstairs window. Police said Baxter was observed loading the rifle as he stood in the window. Officers sought cover and a line of communication was attempted, with several attempts to communicate Baxter resulted in no contact. This continued throughout the night. Occupants in the neighboring homes were notified, but not evacuated.
Police said after several more attempts to make contact with Baxter were met with negative results, members of the Albany Police Department´s Emergency Services Team were notified and responded. A robotic device was used to enter the home and search for the suspect, who was located in the upstairs bedroom. He was given verbal commands to come downstairs, unarmed, and surrender to the police.
At approximately 9:20 a.m., police said Baxter complied with the commands and was taken into custody on the front lawn without further incident. Once he was in custody, police said a loaded Savage .22 rifle with scope and magazine and more than 300 rounds of ammunition were located in the home.
Baxter, of 15 Huntersfield Road, Delmar, was charged with menacing a police officer, a felony charge and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor charge. Police said he was transported to the Albany Medical Center Hospital to be evaluated. While at the hospital, police said Baxter was arraigned and later sent to the Albany County Correctional Facility without bail once released from the hospital.
Police said Baxter is scheduled to appear in Bethlehem Town Court on Tuesday, April 16, at 4 p.m.