In separate incidents Wednesday, two people barricaded themselves in their West Alabama homes to keep law enforcement at bay.
The events happened no more than seven miles apart in the Pickens County, Ala., community of Liberty, which includes parts of Reform and Ethelsville.
The first incident started at around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday when Joe Dave McCleskey, 43, of 3332 County Road 45 in Reform, Ala., “chased his wife out of the house” and barricaded himself inside his residence, Pickens County Sheriff David Abston said.
The sheriff said McCleskey had a knife and was threatening to commit suicide. He “was going to make police kill him” by forcing them to use deadly force.
“We call it suicide by cop,” Abston said.
However, authorities persuaded McCleskey to leave the residence, and he was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence third degree — harassment.
McCleskey is being held by Lowndes County authorities on a charge of violating probation.
That night, a call came in about a man who barricaded himself inside his 1925 Ruffin Road home in Ethelsville, Ala., also considered part of the Liberty community.
Pickens County authorities received a call at around 8 p.m. that Andrew O. Forstner, 31, reportedly assaulted his mother and uncle and barricaded himself inside a mobile home. Pickens County sheriff’s deputies responded along with the Reform, Gordo and Carrollton police departments. Law enforcement personnel surrounded the home, Abston said.
“He was threatening to shoot it out with us,” the sheriff said. “He had several weapons inside the bedroom where he had himself barricaded.
“We had to negotiate with him for about an hour and a half, and he came out through a window with just minor cuts on him.”
Forstner was arrested and charged with three felonies — burglary first degree, possession of marijuana first degree and criminal mischief first degree; and two misdemeanor charges — assault third degree and domestic violence assault third degree.
The burglary charge stems from an accusation Forstner entered his uncle’s residence and trashed the house, Abston said. The doors were pulled and windows knocked out at the uncle’s residence, noting it is next door to Forstner’s residence.
It is unknown whether the two incidents are connected.
“Either alcohol or drugs or a combination of both were involved in both (incidents),” Abston said.
Both men are in custody in the Pickens County jail, and bond has not been set for either man.
“It was a busy day (for us),” Abston said.
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