FAIRFAX, Minn. – A Fairfax man who allegedly held two women hostage at gunpoint, assaulted a police officer and threatened to take people he didn’t like “to hell” with him is in the Renville County Jail.
Dane Michael VanderVoort, 32, faces nine felony charges in connection with a March 16 incident at a residence in Fairfax, about 60 miles south of Willmar.
The charges include assault in the first degree – use of deadly force against a peace officer; three counts of assault in the second degree; kidnapping; burglary in the first degree; attempted disarming a peace officer; terroristic threats and theft of a firearm.
VanderVoort made his first court appearance Tuesday, March 19, in Renville County District Court.
He is being held on $750,000 unconditional bail or $500,000 bail with conditions.
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According to the complaint filed against him, VanderVoort had sent threatening text messages to a former girlfriend March 16, telling her to call people and tell them he was “taking everyone to hell tonight.”
At 7:30 p.m. the woman was at her home with a female friend when VanderVoort allegedly entered the house, displayed a pistol and took control of the friend’s cell phone. Vandervoort allegedly told the women that if the cops showed up, he would start shooting.
At one point VanderVoort allegedly held the gun to his former girlfriend’s back as he pushed her up against the kitchen cabinets.
She was able to text her mother about the situation, asking her to call law enforcement.
According to the complaint, when Fairfax Police Officer Derek Carlson knocked on the door and heard someone say “come in,” he entered and was immediately confronted by Vandervoort who pointed a pistol directly at the officer from 4 to 5 feet away.
The officer was “in immediate fear for his life,” according to the complaint, and grabbed the pistol and started a physical struggle with VanderVoort. During the fight, Vandervoort allegedly made repeated attempts to grab the officer’s duty weapon and then bit the officer’s head, causing a bloody wound.
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After firing a Taser stun gun two times, the officer was able to subdue VanderVoort, who allegedly had another pistol in his back pocket. Both guns belonged to a relative who told police he had not given Vandervoort permission to use them.
VanderVoort’s next court appearance is set for April 5.
