HUTCHINSON— The Reno County District Attorney’s Office announced in court Wednesday that they will recuse themselves from any prosecution of a man arrested after he allegedly held a Westar Energy employee at bay with a shotgun.

Sixty-six-year-old Marc Miller faces potential charges of aggravated assault and kidnapping. Senior Assistant District Attorney Steve Maxwell told Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen that, because Miller has worked in the court system as a bailiff for a number of jury trials and has been a friend to the DA’s office, they would not be prosecuting the case.

They instead will have a special prosecutor, which, according to statement made in court, will be Harvey County Attorney David Yoder.

Just after 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Reno County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to 11912 E. 4th Avenue for a man with a Westar employee at gunpoint, according to a media release.
Deputy McVey arrived and a moment later advised he had one a suspect Brent Bunting, 61, Hutchinson, at gunpoint. He was detained and handcuffed.
Bunting stated that he arrived at the residence to exchange the electrical meter.
He went to the front door of the residence and knocked. No one answered the door, so Bunting put one of the fliers in the doorway and walked to the east side of the house to exchange the meter.
After exchanging the meter, Bunting said a white male who told him he did not have permission to be on the property, and to put the meter back confronted him.
Bunting tried to explain that he can’t do that, and began walking towards his Truck.
The suspect Marc Miller, 66, told him he needed to come sit down.
Bunting ignored Miller’s request.
Bunting said that Miller stepped into the residence through a sliding glass door and came right back out with a shotgun and then told Bunting again that he wasn’t leaving and needed to come sit down.
Bunting made his way back up to the front of the residence where an outside table is located and sat in a chair at that location.
Bunting told deputies that while he was seated at the table, Miller allowed him to call his supervisor.
When Deputies arrived on scene they confronted Miller with a rifle. After some verbal commands he gave up without incident.
Miller was arrested for Aggravated Assault and Kidnapping and was transported to the Reno County Correctional Facility without incident.