Jury selection continues for man charged in school hostage event

Jury selection continued Friday morning, Jan. 7, in the case against a Searsport man accused of taking a fifth-grade class hostage at Stockton Springs Elementary School more than two years ago.

Jury selection in the case against 57-year-old Randall Hofland began Thursday, Jan. 6, at Waldo County Superior Court. Court clerks confirmed Friday morning the selection process would start up again at 9 a.m., and the trial could begin later in the day, depending on how quickly a jury is chosen.

Hofland is facing 41 charges that include 22 counts of kidnapping, 12 counts of criminal restraint with a dangerous weapon, six counts of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon and a burglary charge.  All of the charges — except for one count of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon — stem from Hofland’s appearance Oct. 31, 2008, at Stockton Springs Elementary School, during which he is accused of entering the school, brandishing a handgun and taking the fifth-grade class hostage.

After police arrived and began talking with Hofland from the corridor, he reportedly gave his gun belt — that contained a loaded Glock pistol — to a student and was then arrested by officers in the hallway. None of the students or staff members at the school were physically harmed.

The remaining charge of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon involves an incident during which Hofland allegedly pointed a gun at Searsport Police Officer Jessica Danielson during a routine traffic stop eight days earlier. A manhunt that began following that incident failed to locate Hofland, and his whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested at the elementary school.

Court documents indicate Hofland — who is serving as his own lead attorney — has filed more than 100 motions at Waldo County Superior Court in connection with his own case.