A Whitefield man arrested on several charges following a more than 15-hour armed standoff with police over the weekend had his bail increased to $50,000 and will undergo an evaluation of his mental health.

Jacob R. Walmer, 42, arrested Monday morning on charges of reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon, aggravated assault, kidnapping and domestic violence criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon, made his initial appearance Tuesday via zoom at Lincoln County Superior Court.

Justice Daniel Billings set bail for Walmer at $50,000, up from the $10,000 it was initially set at, and agreed to a request from a lawyer acting on Walmer’s behalf to have a mental health evaluation performed on the defendant.

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the Heath Road home of Walmer and his girlfriend at 7:40 p.m. Sunday for a report of a domestic disturbance. When deputies arrived, no one answered their knocks and Walmer was seen moving around inside the home carrying a rifle, sheriff’s office officials said in a news release. As deputies moved away from the home a shot was heard from inside and, moments later, more shots were fired out of the house.

After several hours, during which police attempts to contact someone inside the home failed, a woman later identified as his girlfriend called and said she was not being allowed to leave and Walmer had threatened to shoot her. A short time later the woman was able to escape the home and run to safety.

Walmer remained inside the home throughout the night, and police said he at times was “challenging law enforcement.”

Advertisement

Walmer was taken into custody at 11:15 a.m. Monday by the Maine State Police Tactical Team. Several firearms were seized from the residence.

Billings said Andrew Wright, an attorney who he said has represented Walmer in the past, would be appointed to represent Walmer in the case.

Attorney Evan Smith, temporarily representing Walmer in court Tuesday, said Walmer planned to seek a bed in a mental health facility. Prosecutor Dan Feldman said the state would not oppose Walmer going to a secure mental health facility.

Bail conditions for Walmer include that, if released from jail, he be placed under house arrest and be monitored by a GPS device, not use or possess alcohol, not use or possess dangerous weapons, have no contact with the victim and not return to the Heath Road residence where the incident took place.

His next scheduled court date is a dispositional conference on Monday, Feb. 27.

Related Headlines

Comments are not available on this story.