March 8, 2023 - Nevada County Sheriff's Office officials reported that at approximately 12:00 noon on Monday, March 6, 2023, Nevada County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 56-year-old Brett Hill at his home in 14000 block of Sontag Road for Criminal Threats, Brandishing a Weapon, Negligent Discharge of a Firearm, and Resisting Arrest.
Just before 10:00 a.m., The Nevada County Regional Dispatch Center received a 911 call from a woman at the home reporting her brother, identified as Brett Hill, had threatened the family with a firearm and was currently outside the residence firing the weapon. The caller advised that Hill told family members that if anyone told him to leave, he would kill them. The caller also reported that Hill was extremely intoxicated and possibly under the influence of marijuana.
Nevada County Sheriff’s Deputies, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Mobile Crisis Team and Officers from the California Highway Patrol arrived on scene, along with a Highway Patrol Helicopter. The helicopter crew was able to locate Hill near an adjacent structure on the property and directed responding ground units to his location.
Nevada County Sheriff’s Deputies contacted Hill who was now walking down the driveway with a shovel. Sheriff’s Office Negotiators initiated communications with Hill. After several minutes of negotiations, Hill advanced toward the deputies while still armed with the shovel. Hill refused several commands to drop the shovel and a Sheriff’s Office Canine was deployed. With the assistance of the canine, deputies were able to disarm Hill and detain him. Hill was transported to Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital for treatment, prior to being booked into the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility with a bail enhancement of $100,000.
Detectives from Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Nevada County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit later served a search warrant at the residence where they located three firearms. Detectives also petitioned the court for an Emergency Gun Violence Restraining Order which was granted and served on March 6, 2023.
Source & photo: Nevada County Sheriff's Office
