County, Goshen Officers Return To Duty Following Investigations

Two Washington County Sheriff ’s Office deputies will return to duty without restriction based on the conclusion of an internal investigation into an officer- involved shooting in Farmington on June 24, according to an announcement made Monday.

The officers, Lt. Josh McConnell and Cpl. Brian Comstock, were placed on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an investigation. An Arkansas State Police investigation still continues and the findings of that will be turned over to the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney’s office.

Randy Blecher, 50, was pronounced dead that day following a standoff outside his home at 133 Neal St.

Farmington police and firefighters responded to a structure fire June 24 and encountered Blecher holding a pistol and rifle, according to Farmington police. A 911 caller reported a man had poured lighter fluid on a shed, yard and house and the shed was on fire. Blecher fired toward the officers and Farmington called for back-up. Fayetteville, Prairie Grove, Goshen and Washington County law enforcement agencies responded.

Negotiations continued between officers and Blecher, with Blecher at times holding the gun to his chin. According to Monday’s news release from the sheriff’s office, officers used tasers but they had minimal effect. Blecher made a “clear intention of force by pointing the handgun at the officers,” the release states.

At 6:05 p.m., McConnell, Comstock and Cpl. William Sweeney III, on the scene with Goshen Police Department, all fired their weapons striking Blecher several times in the lower legs and torso. Officers immediately started first aid until Blecher was taken by ambulance to Washington Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The news release states that it is the sheriff’s opinion McConnell and Comstock “had probable cause to detain and investigate Randolph Blecher as a suspect for aggravated assault for pointing at first responders and for possible arson.”

The two sheriff’s officers “acted to defend themselves from what they reasonably believed to be the use or imminent use of deadly physical force against them.”

The officers acted in compliance with the sheriff’s office policy 40.0 dealing with use of force, the news release says.

Goshen Police Chief Zeb Rone on Tuesday said he cleared Sweeney to return to work in early July. Sweeney also had been placed on administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

“I commended him for his courage and bravery on the incident,” Rone said. “He left his post in Goshen to assist Farmington.”

Rone said he will present a medal of valor to Sweeney at the Goshen City Council meeting in August.

Dennis Ledbetter, Washington County fire marshal, Tuesday said he had ruled the cause of the fire as incendiary and his report would go to Arkansas State Police as part of its investigation. The shed was set on fire first and then the house, Ledbetter said.