S.W.A.T. Team members are seen standing outside the front entrance to the Hampton Inn on River Street, Cortland, Friday morning (Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice)
CORTLAND, N.Y. — A man who locked himself inside a Cortland hotel room for nearly 24 hours decided to take his own life rather than be apprehended by authorities, according to new information released by the City of Cortland Police Department Tuesday afternoon.
Corey J. Hobart, 28, of Conklin, N.Y., who locked himself inside of a room at the Hampton Inn in Cortland early Friday morning and refused to come out, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to an autopsy conducted by the Onondaga County Medical Examiner's office. He was pronounced deceased at 2:43 p.m Sunday at Upstate Medical Center.
At around 3 a.m. Friday, a Broome County Sheriff's deputy spotted Hobart—who was wanted on a parole violation—in the parking lot of the Walmart in Johnson City, police said. After being seen, Hobart refused to pull over and a pursuit began on Interstate 81 north, according to Lt. Richard Troyer with the Cortland Police Department. Hobart was traveling with a woman at the time, later identified as 27-year-old Jeri Ann Healy, of Johnson City.
State police joined sheriff's deputies in the pursuit. Hobart got off the highway at Exit 10 in Polkville and drove into the city of Cortland. Police successfully deployed a tire deflation device; however, Hobart was still able to make it to the Hampton Inn on River Street, where Healy had already booked a hotel room, city police said.
Hobart got out of his vehicle and pointed a gun toward Healy and pursuing officers as he entered the Hampton Inn at around 3:30 a.m. He made it to Healy's room, where he would remain for the next 24 hours.
Additional police agencies were called to the scene, the hotel was evacuated of patrons, and police began implementing negotiating tactics to try and get Hobart to come out of the room. At around 11 a.m., Hobart agreed to release Healy from the hotel room, but he refused to come out himself. Police would learn that Hobart was in possession of two handguns, a shotgun, and illegal narcotics. Negotiations continued for several hours until Hobart stopped communicating with police.
At around 3 a.m., police were able to gain access to the hotel room using "tactical devices." Hobart was found to be unresponsive in the bathroom with what appeared to be self-inflicted injuries police said. He was treated at the scene by EMS personnel before being transported to Upstate Medical University in Hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition before succumbing to his injuries.
Healy was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor. She cooperated with investigators during the incident police said.
