Suspect In Merritt Island Standoff To Remain Jailed

A man who held sheriff’s deputies at bay for six hours and forced the evacuation of a Merritt Island mobile home park will continue to serve time in jail until he can be returned to Delaware, where he fled custody of a state correctional facility.

Kenneth Wood made his first appearance in court at the Brevard County jail this afternoon where a judge ordered him held until Delaware officials could pick him up. If the officials cannot retrieve him in the next 10 days, Wood will again face the judge, says Florida Today. The Sheriff’s department said Wood was a wanted fugitive who escaped a Delaware Department of Corrections facility 17 days ago, robbing his way to Brevard County, where he apparently has family. After the Tuesday standoff, Brevard County sheriff’s deputies found a stolen car and stolen items from his robbery run in the Merritt Island home where the standoff occurred.

John Painter, a spokesman for the Delaware corrections department stated:

“He was out on an approved pass to look for work or employment and did not return to the facility.”

Sheriff Wayne Ivey said Kenneth Wood, 40, escaped December 22, and later went on a violent crime spree, ending up in Brevard County where he is now in custody.

According to Central Florida News, Ivey remarked about the standoff:

“Apparently through some measure he was able to get out through the floor of the trailer, and as soon as he did, our team was on the perimeter and able to address his presence, he decided it was probably in his best interest to go back in the trailer … I am very proud of the efforts of the GAMEOVER Task Force and our deputies. They addressed a very dangerous fugitive today and safely removed him from our community.”