DOVER – A 70-year-old Dover man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after he allegedly fired two shotgun rounds through the living room window of his neighbor’s house at around 1:45 a.m. on February 1.
State Police said the man, Stewart Mercay, retreated to his house and refused to come out resulting in a police response from the State Police Special Operations Response Team, Crisis Negotiation Unit, Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, county Department of Emergency Response and Northern Dutchess Paramedics.
Troopers attempted negotiations with Mercay for 11 hours before he was taken into custody.
Investigation found he had vented propane gas from the kitchen stove and lit a candle before leaving out the back door, placing law enforcement in danger of an explosion.
Mercay was arraigned and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail without bail.
