Matthew Olsen
A Ladoga man who exchanged gun fire with police in April will be headed to prison.
Matthew G. Olsen, 40, pleaded guilty to one felony count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and was sentenced Monday by Montgomery Circuit Court Judge Harry Siamas to a seven-year stretch in the Indiana Department of Corrections.
Olsen was shot April 3 by members of the multi-jurisdictional SWAT team as they attempted to serve a search warrant at his rural Ladoga home.
Olsen said in court that on April 3 he was washing his vehicle around 10 p.m. and heard people talking in a cornfield near his home. He testified that he went inside to retrieve his Ruger 9 mm semi automatic handgun and then pointed it into the cornfield. He said two flash bang grenades went off near him and disoriented him.
Police say Olsen fired on officers as they attempted to execute a search warrant. SWAT members returned fire, striking Olsen five times. Olsen sustained damage to his right arm and hand, where he held his gun. He was taken to Eskenazi Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment. No officers were injured in the exchange of gunfire.
Olsen, who has been in and out of jail since 1997, was prohibited from owning a firearm. He said in court that the weapon was given to him as a gift, and he intended only to use it for protection.
