A suspect put a gun to his head in a dramatic standoff with police in downtown Wildwood after a dark family secret was revealed.
Jon McDonough, 60, of Wildwood, had been traveling in a blue Ford F-150 pickup driven by his brother when officers initiated a traffic stop at about 10 a.m. Wednesday near Dev’s Discount Beverage on Main Street, according to an arrest report from the Wildwood Police Department.
When the pickup came to a stop in the parking lot, McDonough exited through the passenger side door “with a black in color handgun pointed to his head.” He was ordered to drop the gun, but did not comply with officers’ commands. Eventually, he lowered the weapon and was taken into custody.
Police had been looking for McDonough since an earlier incident in which he had barricaded himself in his home in the 700 block of Fourth Avenue and “was threatening suicide by cop.” He texted his wife and admitted he had made a “huge mistake.” He got on his motorcycle and fled the state.
Officers were made aware on Sept. 18 that McDonough had sexually battered his 14-year-old autistic niece. The sexual contact began when the girl was 9.
After his dramatic capture on Wednesday, McDonough was taken to the Wildwood Police Department for a formal interview. He admitted to having sex with his niece, who lives in the same home. McDonough, who was acting as the girl’s caregiver, admitted to police he “had sex with her,” did not wear a condom and when they were finished he would “throw his underwear into the dirty hamper.”
He is facing two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior. He was taken into custody and booked at the Sumter County Detention Center where he was initially held without bond.
