UPDATE: Feb. 7 @ 7:30 p.m.
Joshua C. Botkin, 39 of Richmond, was arrested by the Lexington Police Department after his involvement in a stand-off in southeastern Lexington on Saturday afternoon.
Botkin is being held at the Fayette County Detention Center on six charges, after eventually complying with law enforcement officers in a situation where he barricaded himself inside the EconoLodge hotel on Athens Boonesboro Road, according to police.
Botkin has been charged with violation of an emergency protective order and violation of a domestic violence order, fleeing or evading police in the first degree, disregarding a traffic control device, no tail lamps, failure or improper signal, and operating on a suspended or revoked driver's license, according to documents filed by the Fayette County Sheriff's Office.
Saturday's stand-off was not Botkin's first experience with Kentucky law enforcement. He is a convicted felon and was recently arrested by the Madison County Sheriff's Office.
A former Madison County Sheriff's Office citation reveals that Botkin was arrested on Sept. 9, 2025 in Richmond and he was charged with wanton endangerment in the first degree with the possibility of also committing arson. He was also charged with possession of a handgun of a convicted felon. The next day, Botkin was charged with arson in the second degree.
In the September incident, a firefighter was injured while extinguishing the flames that Botkin was eventually charged with, according to the citation.
UPDATE: Feb. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
The Lexington Police Department (LPD) has provided LEX 18 with updated information regarding a stand-off of a barricaded individual that occurred in southeastern Lexington on Friday.
According to police, the department responded to a call at 2:57 p.m. at the Comfort Inn, EconoLodge hotel area at 5527 Athens Boonesboro Road regarding a wanted Kentucky man.
LPD told LEX 18 that Joshua Botkin of Madison County was staying at one of the hotels in the area and had refused to leave his room. He was wanted on fleeing in the first degree and violation of an emergency protective order and violation of a domestic violence order.
Because Botkin refused to exit the room, a stand-off between police and the suspect occurred. However, Botkin eventually obliged and was arrested on-scene, according to Lexington police.
Original Story:
Around 3 p.m., Lexington police responded to a barricaded subject call at the Comfort Inn, EconoLodge hotel area at 5527 Athens Boonesboro Road in southeastern Lexington.
An eyewitness who is staying at one of the hotels told LEX 18 that he was awaiting a food delivery order at the time of the incident.
"I see like five police members, yellow tape... I see a drone, I think it was a dog," he described the initial scene.
At least four units responded to the scene.
"I just hope everbody's safe, that nothing too bad had happened," the witness said.
This is a developing story and LEX 18 will provide more information as it becomes available.
