A police standoff in Penfield ended 24 hours after it began when 51 year old Benjamin Smith surrendered peacefully on Tuesday afternoon to Monroe County Deputies.
Smith, who has a lengthy criminal record and a history of mental disturbances, barricaded himself in the house on Route 250 on Monday. He fired arrows at deputies and set his own car on fire with a Molotov Cocktail during the ordeal which required neighbors to shelter in place.
Chief Deputy Michael Fowler says they got help from the state’s Office of Mental Health, and decided to “slow things down,” which Fowler says worked in their favor.
Smith broke off communications with deputies early Tuesday morning, but resumed about 10:00 a.m. Fowler says they were gradually able to make clear to the distraught man that he was running out of options, and he finally walked out of the house.
Fowler says Smith, a parolee, will lose his parole status and face additional charges which will be spelled out today. Sheriff Todd Baxter hailed his deputies for standing firm all night and also the assistance of the Office of Mental Health for bringing about a peaceful resolution of the situation.