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Welfare check on an elderly Middletown woman results in standoff, son's arrest
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Deputies responded to a residence in Middletown on Thursday morning to conduct a welfare check of an elderly woman, and later took her son into custody after he refused to allow them entry and a standoff ensued.
Wesley Wayne Tolleson, 49, of Lower Lake was arrested following a standoff that began when he refused to let deputies into his mother's home, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
At 11:10 a.m. Thursday, Central Dispatch received a telephone call from an employee with Lake County Adult Protective Services, Brooks said.
Brooks said the employee attempted to conduct a welfare check of a Middletown woman, due to receiving a report that the woman was not receiving proper medical care and was malnourished.
The Adult Protective Services employee had attempted to check the condition of the woman, but her son, who was later identified as Tolleson, would not let him inside the home, according to Brooks.
Lake County Adult Protective Services was requesting assistance from the sheriff’s office in checking the woman’s condition. They also advised that that Tolleson had several firearms scattered throughout the residence, Brooks said.
Deputies responded to the residence which was located in the 15000 block of Armstrong Street in Middletown. They knocked on the door, but Tolleson refused to let the deputies inside, Brooks said.
Tolleson said they would have to bring several more deputies with them, before they would be able to get inside the house, Brooks said.
The deputies were able to set up a perimeter around the residence and requested that the Sheriff’s Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT) respond, according to Brooks.
The Lake County International Charter School, which was within close proximity of the residence was notified of the incident and placed on lockdown. Brooks said three other schools in the area decided to lock down their campuses after receiving information about the incident.
A line of communication was set up with Tolleson and he gave up peacefully at approximately 2:15 p.m., Brooks said.
Brooks said a welfare check was conducted on Tolleson’s mother and she was transported to the hospital by ambulance so she could receive proper medical attention.
Tolleson was arrested for resisting or obstructing a peace officer in the performance of his or her duties. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, Brooks said.