A quiet stretch of farm country in the Town of Hartford turned into a law enforcement lockdown on Wednesday after deputies found an armed man holed up in a motorhome on a farm property. Negotiators were called in, a nearby airport paused operations and roads were shut down before the man ultimately surrendered without anyone getting hurt.
A woman who was on the property was safely removed, and authorities reported no injuries. Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis later praised the response and singled out the negotiators for steering the volatile situation to a peaceful end.
Standoff on Arthur Road
According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, deputies encountered a 62-year-old man inside a motorhome parked on farm property in the 7200 block of Arthur Road and recovered a rifle from inside the RV. The sheriff's office said the man surrendered peacefully on Wednesday and that the ongoing investigation will be handled by the Dodge County Sheriff's Office.
Armored Rescue Vehicles Used to Secure Scene
To lock down the situation, law enforcement brought in an armored rescue vehicle to block and immobilize the motorhome, the sheriff's office said. A second armored rescue vehicle from Dodge County was used to safely reach and extract a female occupant who was on property adjacent to the RV while negotiators continued to talk with the man inside. First responders checked both people for injuries before clearing the scene.
Sheriff Praises Negotiators
Sheriff Martin Schulteis said the incident "highlighted the critical role of crisis negotiators" in turning what could have been a dangerous confrontation into a no-injuries outcome. His comments were included in the department's Washington County Sheriff's Office post about the response.
Road Closures and Airport Interruption
During the standoff, the sheriff's office said roadways including Arthur Road, County Highway U and Airport Drive were shut down, cutting off traffic in the rural area for a time. Hartford Municipal Airport operations were briefly interrupted during the emergency response. The airport is listed on the City of Hartford site, which provides phone and operations contacts for pilots and residents.
What Comes Next
Investigators from Dodge County will continue to examine the scene and interview witnesses as the case remains active, according to the sheriff's office. Officials asked anyone who saw the situation unfold or has video to contact the Dodge County Sheriff's Office tip line.
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