Armed, barricaded SL Twp. man taken into custody
Aug. 12—Police were able to end a nearly 17-hour standoff in Spring Lake Township peacefully Wednesday night after a barricaded, armed man surrendered and was taken into custody.
At approximately 6:50 p.m., the suspect exited the residence on Palm Drive and was taken into custody without incident, police said. No one was injured during the incident.
The suspect is being treated medically and will be lodged at the Ottawa County Jail, said Capt. Jake Sparks of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office.
The Ottawa County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has authorized numerous charges related to this incident, including: unlawful imprisonment, felon in possession of a firearm, felonious assault, felony firearm, resisting and obstructing police, and fleeing and eluding police. He was also charged as a habitual offender.
The man's name was not immediately released pending formal arraignment on the charges, police said Wednesday night.
Residents in the area, between Hoffmaster Drive and 7400 Palm Drive, were asked to remain in their homes, but were advised at around 7 p.m. that they were free to exit their homes and there is no more danger in the area. Investigators from the Sheriff's Office remained on the scene Wednesday night to continue their investigation.
The incident began at about 2 a.m. Wednesday when Sheriff's Office deputies attempted a traffic stop on a wanted 41-year-old man. Police did not say where this took place.
Sparks said the officers were following up with some calls for service on him. The man also has outstanding felony warrants. Sparks declined to say what types of crimes were cited in the warrants.
The man fled the scene and went to his residence on Palm Drive. Deputies had brief contact with him and saw that he had a firearm, Sparks said. The man fled inside the residence and refused police orders to exit the home. Officers set up a perimeter in the area and continued talking to him all day and into Wednesday evening.
Police discovered that the man's girlfriend was inside the home, but she safely exited the house at about 6 a.m. Sparks confirmed that she was unharmed.
Sparks noted the challenges presented by the previous night's storm that resulted in police being called out to a number of areas.
"That generates challenges from a personnel standpoint," he said.
You may contact Becky Vargo at bvargo@grandhaventribune.com.
