Astoria, OR – A 62-year-old man who, in 2021, allegedly fired a rifle at construction workers before engaging in a standoff with law enforcement while naked, is set to plead guilty to multiple charges related to the incident, according to court records.
The incident occurred in August 2021, when Benton County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of gunfire near a home on Foster Road. The construction crew working on the property told 911 dispatchers that a man, later identified as Daniel Scott Roloff, had fired a rifle at them from his own property. Afterward, Roloff allegedly sat outside, staring at the workers while holding his firearm, completely unclothed.
Deputies arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the call and interviewed the construction crew and the homeowner. The crew clarified that Roloff had fired the shots at around 11 a.m. that day, though they did not call 911 until nearly six hours later, just before 5:30 p.m. Crew members told deputies that Roloff had pointed the rifle at them several times throughout the day, remaining naked during the entire encounter.
Law enforcement attempted to make contact with Roloff by using drones equipped with loudspeakers, urging him to surrender the weapon and engage in dialogue. However, Roloff did not respond. As deputies approached his property, Roloff reportedly fired several shots over their heads, with a total of nine rounds fired in a span of about ten minutes.
The tense standoff escalated further when a SWAT team from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office was called in for backup. Though no additional shots were fired, Roloff was seen moving inside his house. Eventually, a search warrant was obtained, and the next morning, deputies served it. Roloff, now fully clothed, surrendered without incident.
Roloff was initially charged with a range of serious offenses, including unlawful use of a weapon, menacing, and attempted murder. However, after lengthy court proceedings, which were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the charges were either dropped or amended.
In late December 2024, court documents indicated that Roloff intends to plead guilty to several charges, including seven counts of unlawful use of a weapon, six counts of menacing, three counts of private indecency, two charges of recklessly endangering a person, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm.
The case highlights the dangers of confrontations involving firearms, as well as the unpredictable nature of standoffs between civilians and law enforcement.
