Rochester man charged in hotel stand-off pleads guilty to assault charge

Oct. 21—The Rochester man allegedly involved in an hours-long standoff with police in August pleaded guilty Wednesday to a felony assault charge.

Nathan Joel Titus, 39, pleaded guilty in Olmsted County to felony second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. Titus also is charged with felony terroristic threats, gross misdemeanor domestic assault-firearms and two misdemeanor domestic assault charges.

A petition to enter a guilty plea filed with the court notes that Titus will enter into and successfully complete Veterans Treatment Court. Veterans Treatment Court is an intensive probationary program that incorporates biweekly court sessions to review the participant's progress in the program and includes the active assistance and involvement of the U.S. Veterans Administration and a mentorship program provided by fellow veterans within the community.

Titus was arrested Monday, Aug. 2, following a five-hour standoff with law enforcement at the Extended Stay America on Woodlake Drive Southeast.

Police were called shortly before 3 p.m. that day after receiving numerous 911 calls. One of the calls appeared to come from one of the hotel rooms and dispatchers could only hear a woman screaming "stop" and "get off me" while music played in the background, according to the criminal complaint. The hotel manager reported hearing a woman inside one the hotel rooms, where a disturbance had been reported, saying "you don't need to point the gun in my face."

Following Titus' arrest, a 35-year-old woman who was in the hotel room told police the two had gotten into an argument and that Titus allegedly struck her with a broken broom stick. Court records indicate the woman had large marks on her legs and scratch marks on a shin and her left wrist.

A sentencing date is scheduled for Nov. 30.