A Whitefield man was indicted this month on charges that he entered his neighbor’s home and threatened him with a sawed-off shotgun before engaging in a standoff with police.
Peter Poland, 39, of Whitefield, was arrested on Sept. 16 after a six-hour standoff with a state police tactical team at his Mills Road home. Police were called after Poland, reportedly drunk at the time, allegedly entered his neighbor’s home and threatened him with a sawed-off shotgun.
A state police affidavit filed after Poland’s arrest describes a frightening scene inside the neighbor’s home, in which Poland points the loaded shotgun at his neighbor’s head and screams that he is going to kill him, because “someone turned him and his friend into [sic] the Police and felt [the neighbor] was really nosey,” according to the affidavit.
The neighbor’s niece eventually helped persuade Poland to leave and return to his own home.
Police arrived on scene shortly after midnight and, when Poland refused to come out of his house, the State Police tactical team was called in. Sometime before 6 a.m., police entered Poland’s home and arrested him. No shots were fired, and no one was injured, police said.
Poland is charged with Class C criminal threatening, Class C reckless conduct and Class D terrorizing.
