UPDATE: Anderson standoff with sword-wielding “sovereign citizen” ends with arrest
UPDATED: Friday. April 26, 5:30 p.m.
See Original and Updated Story below.
ANDERSON — Authorities have identified a 63-year-old, self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen” who held deputies and other officials at bay for about 35 minutes earlier this afternoon. During the dangerous, roadside standoff, the man was described as “thrashing around” a weapon later described as a “large, three-foot long sword.”
The subject, now identified as Timothy Sedmak, was arrested for brandishing a weapon and resisting arrest, Shasta County Sheriff’s Sergeant Fernandez explained to RCNS in an email response to a request for further information and details related to the violent encounter.
As this morning’s dangerous roadside standoff continued, “deputies were able to close Dersch Rd. to prevent any risk to citizen and began negotiating with Sedmak,” the Sgt reported. “Sedmak eventually exited the trailer without the sword and agreed to meet with Deputies,” and “was eventually taken into custody after resisting arrest.”
“This was the third time in four months Sedmak has been arrested for resisting arrest,” Fernandez said.
No officers or other citizens were injured and the sheriff’s investigation into the armed encounter is ongoing.
Self-proclaimed “sovereign citizen” Timothy Sedmak, 63, arrested for third time in four months, after resisting officers while armed and waving a three-foot long sword during a standoff that last about 35 minutes on Dersche Rd earlier this afternoon.
ORIGINAL STORY: Dersche Rd standoff with sword-wielding man continuing
UPDATED: Friday, April 26, 12:30 p.m., With additional details
UPDATED STORY: Anderson standoff with sword-wielding man ends with arrest
UPDATED: Friday, April 26, 1 p.m., With conclusion and additional details
ANDERSON — Officials remain at the scene of a tense, roadside standoff with a sword-wielding man that ended just moments ago with the subject being taken into custody. During the armed standoff, the man was seen menacingly waving a large sword at officials and others who watched the scene unfold in the area of Dersche and Parkville roads in Anderson.
The incident forced the temporary closure of a section Dersche Rd. and as the 35-minute standoff continued, vehicles – including several school buses – were turned around and diverted away from the area.
LEADING THE SCNS HEADLINES:
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Today’s incident began around 11:20 a.m., when a deputy reported that a man who had been inside a parked trailer along the roadway exited the trailer while armed with what the deputy described as “a three-foot long sword.” The sole deputy also reported to SHASCOM emergency dispatchers the sword-wielding man was slowly approaching him from a distance of about 30 feet.
It was not immediately known if the deputy was responding to a call or complaint or checking on the man’s welfare, but the official’s radio update that the man had armed himself with the long sword while waving the weapon in the direction of the deputy, brought officials from multiple surrounding agencies racing to the scene with their lights flashing and sirens wailing.
Deputies responding to the scene requested additional resources from Anderson PD and Redding PD, including long-rifles, less-lethal options, and a K-9, as well as CHP ground and air support.
Although APD soon had a K-9 handler and multiple officers headed to the scene to assist, radio traffic at the time indicated no CHP officers or air support were immediately available.
While back up officers were still racing to the scene, the sole deputy at the location reported that the man had repeatedly returned to his trailer only to come back out of the trailer armed with the sword each time.
At around 11:25 a.m., the deputy reported the man had once again exited his trailer while still wielding the large sword. The deputy also calmly reported that the sword-waving man was walking in the westbound lanes of traffic in the deputy’s direction, as the official continually moved back and away from the distraught and agitated man.
A supervisor still headed to the location ordered the sole-deputy to back away, and maintain a safer distance from – but constant visual of – the sword-wielding man, if possible; as no other back up had yet arrived at the chaotic and potentially dangerous scene.
Despite continuing to back away and maintain a safe distance from the armed man, the deputy reported the suspect was still slowly advancing on him while continuing to wave the sword and threaten him.
As officers and deputies began converging on the scene, the man once again retreated back into his trailer.
With more law enforcement officers arriving at the scene, officials began shutting down the entire roadway, while trying to divert traffic that had back up in both directions on Dersche Rd. They also requested fire and rescue personnel to stage in the area on Parkville Rd., in case they were needed for anyone injured.
At around 11:30, while less-lethal options were still headed to the scene and first arriving back-up officers were arriving at the location with long-rifles, officials reported the man had once again exited his trailer while still armed with the sword and was once again threatening the officers. Officials reported the highly agitated man was yelling for them to shoot and kill him while swinging his sword in their direction.
As the standoff continued, officials could be heard giving Taser warnings and advising the man he could be bitten by the K-9, who had arrived at the scene moments earlier.
As the officials continued their coordinated efforts to calm and disarm the man, they eventually reported taking him into custody around 11:54 a.m., at which time they also requested an ambulance respond to the location for the person. Officials did not specify how or if the alleged suspect was injured or why he needed an ambulance to respond to the scene.
The man was later transported to Shasta County Jail to be booked on unknown charges as of this report.
As deputies finished their initial on-scene investigation the westbound lane of travel along Dersche Rd. was re-opened around 12:15. The eastbound lanes were opened a few minutes later, and the man’s trailer was towed from the scene shortly before 1 p.m., at which time traffic through the area began to return to normal.
A request sent to Shasta County Sheriff’s Office for additional details and information related to this incident had not been responded to as of this publication.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.
Contact the writer: [email protected]
Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle, and Anza Valley Outlook; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.
Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)
During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.
Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.
Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.
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