Fredonia standoff, tactical situation; man's competency under review
The Brief
A Fredonia man is charged with multiple felonies related to a May standoff.
The court is weighing whether the 37-year-old man is competent to stand trial.
The standoff lasted nearly 38 hours and ended on Saturday morning, May 10.
FREDONIA, Wis. - The competency of a Fredonia man, charged with multiple felonies related to a days-long standoff and tactical situation in May, remains in question.
In Court
According to a doctor's report returned in court on Tuesday, 37-year-old Matthew Novak is not competent to stand trial. Novak's attorney challenged the report's findings.
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Novak remains jailed on $1 million bond. He is charged with six felonies related to the standoff and tactical situation.
What's next
The judge ordered a competency hearing, at which the doctor who submitted the report will appear, for August.
The backstory
The tactical situation started on the night of Thursday, May 8. It lasted nearly 38 hours and ended with the suspect – since identified as Novak – in custody on Saturday morning, May 10.
The Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office said a man with weapons had barricaded himself inside a home and was "extremely dangerous." After Novak was taken into custody, the sheriff's office said there was no longer a threat to the public.
According to the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office, it all started with reports of multiple gunshots on Fox Glen Road. Deputies monitored the area but didn't hear any gunshots.
Law enforcement was able to reach the man over the phone – who acknowledged he was playing loud music and firing weapons. The man then said he was going to keep playing music and would shoot anyone who came to his home.
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Shortly after that call, deputies heard multiple gunshots coming from the home. Further investigation determined the man was firing several guns – including an automatic rifle – in unknown directions, posing a "significant threat" to the community and deputies.
The sheriff's office advised neighbors to shelter in place, specifically in the basements of their homes, due to the high-powered nature of the man's weapons.
Negotiators tried to engage the man and deescalate the situation for several hours, but the sheriff's office said the man remained uncooperative and threatened to "go full auto" and kill anyone who approached. He provided further information that he was heavily armed and would use force against officers.
The sheriff's office said the man was seen aiming a rifle toward law enforcement vehicles on multiple occasions. He was eventually taken into custody after the use of "non-lethal tactical resources."
The standoff resulted in substantial damage to the home. The sheriff's office said a private construction company was contracted to stabilize and reinforce the structure so investigators could search inside, where they found multiple guns, among other items of significance.
After he was taken into custody, Novak was taken to a behavioral health facility. He was later booked into the Ozaukee County Jail.
The Source
Information in this report is from the Ozaukee County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin Circuit Court and prior FOX6 News coverage.
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