Man arrested after standoff -- Two face charges in connection with separate weekend incidents

Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Law enforcement officers storm a home (above) in the 1400 block of West 14th at 12:15 p.m., Monday. An occupant was arrested in connection with burglaries. (Connie Jo Discoe/McCook Daily Gazette)

Two men were arrested Monday and charged with burglary and a variety of other charges following two separate weekend incidents, according to McCook Police Chief Ike Brown.

At about 5:51 a.m., Sunday, Sgt. Joel Willers and Officer Matt Schmit responded to a burglary alarm at the Pro Shop at Heritage Hills Golf Course. The two arrived at the golf course and discovered Brandon M. Hoffman, 23, of Colorado Springs, Colo., allegedly removing golf equipment from the store.

Upon investigation, it was discovered the man had been convicted of three prior counts of driving under the influence in the state of Nebraska.

Hoffman was charged with burglary, driving under suspension and driving under the influence.

He was arraigned in Red Willow County Court Monday afternoon. Bond was set at 10 percent of $25,000.

Also over the weekend, the McCook Police Department received a report of about 20 windows broken out of vehicles and the auto body shop at the McCook High School. A brick was thrown through the east door of the Red Willow County Courthouse and there was an attempted break-in at a residence at Missouri Avenue Circle. Brown said he believes those crimes and other burglaries and criminal mischief cases over the past few months are related to the weekend incidents.

At 5:37 a.m., Monday, the same officers responded to a report from a resident of West McCook who reported a burglary at a residence near the United Parcel Service. The officers responded and found an adult male placing a number of guns into a vehicle.

When they attempted to make contact with the suspect, the man fled on foot. Officers from the Nebraska State Patrol and the Red Willow County Sheriff's office K-9 unit were called in to assist in the search.

At 8:38 a.m., the McCook Public Safety Center received an anonymous call made from a pay phone from a woman claiming the man was seen with weapons running west near the Orscheln Farm and Home store on North U.S. Highway 83.

While some officers remained at the scene where the suspect was believed to be hiding, others, including the K-9 Unit and an air unit provided by Red Willow Aviation, searched the area around Orscheln's.

Officers later determined that the call was a ruse to allow the suspect to flea from the area.

A warrant was requested to search the house and the man was arrested at 12:15 p.m., at a residence in the 1400 block of West 14th.

The man is being held in the McCook City Jail pending arraignment in Red Willow County Court.

A neighbor identified the man as Andy Blume of Indianola. He was to be arraigned in Red Willow County Court this afternoon.

Brown said police will continue their investigation to determine the men's involvement in a string of burglaries and criminal mischief complaints around the area.

"Statistically, an officer will catch a burglary in progress every nine to 10 years. These two officers (Sgt. Joel Willers and Officer Matt Schmit) had two in two days. That should take care of them for the rest of their careers," said Ike Brown, Police Chief.

Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: