A domestic violence complaint in Wiscasset late Thursday night prompted a brief police standoff, and led to the arrest of a Wiscasset man.
According to a press release from the Wiscasset Police Department, Richard Sanford, 31, Hodge St., was taken into custody after officers responded to his residence. Sanford was transported to Two Bridges Regional Jail in Wiscasset and charged with domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, obstructing report of crime or injury and creating a police standoff.
As of 9:30 a.m. he remains in custody.
According to the Wiscasset Police, at 11:15 p.m. a 29-year-old female complainant called 9-1-1 to allege Sanford threatened to kill her. The complainant stated she believed she heard Sanford loading a firearm while she was on the phone with 9-1-1.
Wiscasset Officer James Read was first on the scene, along with Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Dennison. The complainant was able to leave the residence, with a three-year-old child, and was quickly removed from the area by Officer Read, Wiscasset police report.
The complainant allegedly disclosed to Officer Read there were numerous firearms in the residence. Sanford would not come out when requested to do so by Deputy Dennison.
More LCSO personnel arrived on scene, a perimeter was set up around the residence and the State Police Tactical Team was asked to respond to the scene.
After negotiating via telephone with Wiscasset Police Chief Troy Cline, Sanford subsequently came out of the residence voluntarily and surrendered without further incident.
The alleged victim was transported to Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick where she was treated for minor injuries and subsequently released. The child was not injured during the incident.
