Standoff with sheriff's deputies ends in man's arrest

A 25-year-old Belfair man appeared in Kitsap County District Court Feb. 19 in connection with an alleged burglary and assault in South Kitsap, resulting in a standoff in Mason County.

Jeremy Lyle Stuart was charged with second-degree assault and bail was set at $75,000, according District Court.

Deputy Scott Wilson, spokesman for the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Department, said Stuart was arrested Feb. 18 for an incident that happened about 9:50 p.m. Feb. 17 in the 4000 block of Hawthorne Avenue West.

Wilson said deputies responded to the residence after a domestic violence assault of a 28-year-old female, a former girlfriend of Stuart. She reported Stuart showed up at the residence, while intoxicated, and demanded to speak with her.

He said the woman reported she refused to let Stuart inside the home, but he forced his way inside — pushing past her at the front door.

Once inside, Stuart allegedly assaulted the woman by placing his hands around her throat and attempting to strangle her, said Wilson.

Before deputies arrived at the scene, the suspect fled.

Wilson said during an investigation at the residence, deputies found probable cause to arrest the suspect for burglary and assault. The victim proved deputies with a description of the suspect’s vehicle — a 2005 silver Dodge truck — which was sent out to local law enforcement agencies.

Mason County Sheriff’s Office deputies reported the suspect’s truck parked in front of a residence on East Blake Road in Belfair.

A KCSO deputy responded to the address and spoke to the suspect through a window. He told the deputy that he was armed and wasn’t coming out and had called an attorney.

Deputies from Kitsap and Mason counties attempted to reason with the suspect for about 40 minutes.

A KCSO sheriff’s crisis negotiator also responded to re-establish communications with the suspect and attempt to resolve the situation. After 90 minutes on speaking with the suspect, the deputy was unable to persuade Stuart to come out of the house.

Wilson said during the process, Kitsap deputies obtained a search warrant for the residence and the Mason County SWAT team was called to the scene. About 2:24 a.m., the suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without further incident. Stuart was taken to the Kitsap County Jail and charged with residential burglary and second-degree assault, both under domestic violence. Bail was set at $100,000.

Deputies entered the residence to serve the search warrant and recovered a loaded, semi-automatic pistol from the suspect’s bedroom, said Wilson.

 

Contact Port Orchard Independent Editor Dannie Oliveaux at doliveaux@portorchardindependent.com or 360 876 4414 Ext 5050.

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