Man armed with sword spurs motel standoff

NEWPORT, Maine – Authorities say a man armed with a sword held off police for several hours at a Maine hotel.

Police were called to Pray’s Motel in Newport on Thursday after 60-year-old Louis Irish threatened a housekeeper and the motel owner with a knife.

Police say the man was highly intoxicated, and pulled out a sword when officers knocked on his room door.

Newport Police Chief Leonard Macdaid says officers backed off, secured the scene and then entered the room only after failed attempts to get him to surrender.

Irish was hospitalized for evaluation and later taken to Penobscot County Jail. It is unclear if the knife motel staff saw was the sword Irish brandished to police.

He was due to appear in court Friday. Irish could not be reached for comment.