Petersburg Man Arrested After Standoff

A Petersburg man was arrested Saturday after law enforcement said he refused to cooperate while officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant at a residence in Menard County.

According to the Menard County Sheriff’s Office, a sheriff’s deputy and a Petersburg police officer attempted to serve the warrant at about 12:25 p.m. May 23 at a residence in the 20000 block of Gudgel Bridge Avenue.

The warrant had been issued May 22 in Menard County Circuit Court for Justin M. Thornley, 31, of Petersburg. He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of violating a stalking no-contact order and two counts of reckless conduct. Authorities said the charges stemmed from an investigation into numerous incidents over the past several days.

Law enforcement said Thornley was seen inside the residence but refused to cooperate and disobeyed commands. He then locked himself inside.

Additional deputies responded, along with an Athens police officer and Illinois State Police troopers. Authorities secured the scene and established a perimeter. The Menard County Sheriff’s Office also requested assistance from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiation Unit and Tactical Response Unit.

Despite extensive efforts to communicate with Thornley, authorities said he continued to refuse to cooperate. At about 4 p.m., forced entry was made into the residence, and a law enforcement drone was used to help locate him.

Thornley was located by the drone but continued to refuse commands, according to the sheriff’s office. Members of the tactical response unit then entered the residence and apprehended him.

Thornley was evaluated at a local hospital before being transferred to the Sangamon County Jail. He remains jailed pending an appearance in Menard County Circuit Court.

The Menard County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Petersburg Police Department, Athens Police Department, Illinois State Police and Menard County EMS for their assistance.