A South Lake Tahoe man was arrested after refusing to surrender Sunday on vandalism and public disturbance charges, authorities said.
The department said officers with the South Lake Tahoe Police Department were called to the 1200 block of Margaret Avenue on multiple occasions over the past couple of weeks due to a 33-year-old man’s alleged violent and erratic behavior.
Around 2:30 p.m. Sunday, the department said it received another call regarding the man allegedly acting violently in front of his house toward his neighbors. Officers responded and said that the suspect fled into his home and refused to exit, according to a department news release.
Police said SWAT and crisis negotiators were dispatched due to past experiences with the man’s unpredictable and violent behavior. The department alleged the situation created a dangerous environment for his neighbors.
The man reportedly refused to surrender for hours, police said. Law enforcement said tear gas was deployed, yet the man did not exit the residence.
A fire started in the residence during the standoff, and South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue extinguished it, authorities said. The cause of the fire is still unclear after investigation, police said.
Entering the residence
Law enforcement said the SWAT team eventually entered the home and found the suspect allegedly barricaded himself in crawl space underneath the house. Crisis negotiators made verbal contact with the man but alleged he still refused to surrender, according to police.
Police said pepper spray was deployed into the crawl space, after which the man allegedly exited the crawl space but was still uncooperative.
Authorities said they were then able to take the suspect into custody but not before he allegedly threw a handful of dirt into a crisis negotiator’s face.
Law enforcement said the man was first transported to Barton Hospital on South Avenue for medical clearance prior to booking.
He was booked into El Dorado County Jail around 11:30 p.m. Sunday on charges relating to resisting arrest and battery of a peace officer in addition to vandalism and public disturbance charges.
The man remained in custody Monday, and his bail is set at $4,000.