Standoff Ends In MWC; Neighbors Still Worried

Chris McKinnon, News 9

MIDWEST CITY, Oklahoma – A standoff in Midwest City lasted several hours on Thanksgiving day but police were finally able to get into the house and arrest Rodney Dutton, 52. Inside his house police found several homemade explosives

"It's very scary," explained Leslie Oliver who lives across the street from Dutton.

Oliver said police tried to serve Dutton with a warrant yesterday but were not successful. They asked her to call 9-1-1 if she saw the suspect outside of his home. She and her husband saw Dutton outside this morning screaming and she called the police who responded soon after.

"When he saw the police, he ran inside his house, barricaded himself at that location," said Chief Brandon Clabes of the Midwest City Police Department.

Officers were eventually able to enter the Duttons' home and apprehend him without major incident. Chief Clabes said officers found several homemade bombs inside the garage.

"They found some Molotov cocktails that had been homemade," explained Clabes. "They also found that his gas tank on his van had been dropped from the vehicle. Some wires had been placed into the gas tank and then running up to the spark plug. It looked like some type of explosive device."

When neighbors heard about the explosives, they were shocked to hear how close to danger they were living.

"I've heard him yell things about bombs," said Leslie Oliver. "But I did not know that he was making anything."

Cathy Hays has a house across the street from Dutton. Her daughter-in-law now lives there with her children. Hays said there had been a lot of activity at the Dutton house recently. She said several different cars had been pulling up to the house. Police have even been to the residence several times.

"This is our old house," explained Hays. "So we've been worrying about her safety and the children."

Police have been to Dutton's house several times and he has a history of mental illness, according to police. He also had a warrant out on a domestic assault.

"It's been very violent over here," said Chief Clabes. "All kinds of calls for service at this location ranging from disturbances to domestic violence to damage of property. It's just an ongoing issue."

Thursday afternoon police said they had not been able to contact Dutton's wife. They thought she might be in the house, which they said is why they made entry so quickly. She was not there, however, and they said they would try locating her. They did not release her name and did not know where she might be.

Neighbors said they hope Dutton is removed permanently. Police said he faces 15 counts of possession of an incendiary device. Each of those counts, according to Chief Clabes, comes with a $20,000 bond.