ASHLAND, Ohio – A standoff between the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office and a suicidal man on Ohio 603 in Ashland ended with the suspect’s surrender Thursday night, according to an Ashland County Sheriff’s Office incident report.
The standoff lasted more than four hours, with the suspect in custody by 11:18 p.m.
Scott Adler, 48, of 1708 Ohio 603, was arrested and charged with inducing panic. He is detained at Ashland County Jail.
Per the report, the sheriff’s office received a call at 7:02 p.m. reporting that Adler was alone in his home, had been drinking and was threatening to kill himself.
The report also stated that the caller indicated there was a gun in Adler’s residence, which is about a half mile south of Ohio 603’s intersection with U.S. 42.
The first sheriff units arrived on scene at 7:16 p.m.
“They get here I’m done – gonna got out in fun,” Adler wrote in a Facebook message, according the report. “They just pulled in here we go [sic].”
He made many other threats to himself and law enforcement, according to the report.
A command center was set up near the residence. Ohio State Highway patrolmen helped control traffic before the Ohio Department of Transportation took over, blocking off entrance to Ohio 603 at U.S. 42 and U.S. 30, as well as Crider Road.
No one was allowed through.
The Ashland County Special Response team was put on standby at 7:50 p.m. At the same time, an ambulance was staged. Eight minutes later, the special response team was requested.
At 8:12 p.m., the sheriff’s office received another emergency call from a person reporting that Adler was sending suicidal messages.
Around 9:30 p.m., the Ashland County Bomb Squad, a specialty team of the sheriff’s office, reportedly arrived with a robot.
Adler told law enforcement at 10:37 p.m. that he had no phone and that officers would have to either put him in jail or “the morgue,” according to the report, adding that it was “game on.”
Less than an hour later, Adler surrendered after lengthy negotiation with law enforcement, ex-family members and an ex-girlfriend.
The house was confirmed secure at 12:04 a.m.
According to the report, Adler has a history of undiagnosed depression and a head injury.
Before being taken to Ashland County Jail, Adler was taken to Samaritan Hospital to be medically cleared.
The case is being handled by the Ashland County Sherriff’s Office Detective Bureau.
Detective Lt. Scott Smart of the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office could not be reached for comment.
