A Watertown man was arrested on Sunday after barricading himself in his house for hours following a dispute with a neighbor over roaming dogs, police said.
Officers responded to Cobb Street in Oakville at 8:15 a.m. on Sunday for a report of a verbal argument occurring between two male neighbors about the neighbor’s roaming dogs, according to the Watertown Police Department.
Officers learned that the neighbor who owned the roaming dogs, identified as 48-year-old Martin Oliver, had allegedly retrieved a handgun from his residence, police said. As officers arrived at the scene, Oliver retreated to his house and barricaded himself inside, according to police.
“The complainants, along with other witnesses in the area, reported that Oliver had brandished a firearm in a threatening manner during the argument, thereby endangering the residents in a neighboring house, including children,” according to Watertown Detective Mark Conway.
Officers established communications with Oliver, police said. After several hours of negotiations, Oliver surrendered and was taken into custody without incident, according to police.
Police said they executed a search and seizure warrant at Oliver’s residence, which resulted in the seizure of three firearms, including the handgun described by the complainant.
Oliver was charged with two counts of risk of injury to a minor and one count each of first-degree threatening, second-degree breach of peace, permitting a dog to roam and open carry on public property.
Oliver was held on a $350,000 bond and was scheduled to appear at the Waterbury Superior Court on Monday.
