Suicidal Man Surrenders After 45-Minute Standoff

A Rohnert Park man was arrested Thursday evening after a 45-minute standoff with police, the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety said.

Werner Paul Ron Hoh, 57, was firing a gun in the backyard of a residence on Brett Avenue around 5:15 p.m., police said. The person who called police said Hoh was intoxicated and possibly suicidal, police said. Police also learned Hoh fired several shots from a .45-caliber pistol, threatened to kill his wife and said he was going to force police to shoot him, police said.

As officers arrived, Hoh drove south on Beverly Drive but was found three blocks away at the end of Becky Court, police said. Police blocked the cul-de-sac so Hoh could not escape, and Cotati police and the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office's helicopter also responded to the scene.

Hoh locked himself in his vehicle and refused to surrender, police said. No attempt to approach the vehicle was made because officers were not sure Hoh still had the firearm, police said.

Public Safety Officer Pat Fahy made verbal contact with Hoh, who got in and out of his vehicle several times and drove his vehicle toward the police vehicles blocking his escape, police said.

Hoh stopped 20-25 feet short of striking the patrol cars, yelled obscenities and backed up his vehicle to the end of Becky Court, police said. Fahy convinced Hoh to surrender, ending the 45-minute standoff, and the handgun and spent shell casings were found in Hoh's residence, police said.

Hoh was arrested on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a handgun, negligent discharge of a firearm, making threats, DUI and resisting, obstructing or delaying a police officer, police said.

Sonoma County Superior Court records show Hoh was convicted in September 2002 of felony battery and evading police in disregard of public safety in April 2002.

He is being held in Sonoma County Jail under $120,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Sonoma County Superior Court.

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