After Hungry Horse standoff, SWAT team takes man into custody
Sheriff’s Deputies and the SWAT team responded to a home in Hungry Horse where an apparent fugitive was holed up. (Teresa Byrd photo)
A man who fled from the police and barricaded himself into an unoccupied residence in Hungry Horse on Jan. 28 was later arrested after a standoff with law enforcement that lasted several hours.
James Colby Smith, 20, is currently being held in the Flathead County Detention Center on charges of criminal mischief, burglary, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer and parole violation.
No one was seriously injured in the incident and the man surrendered after law enforcement used tear gas on Smith.
Flathead County Sheriff’s deputies first confronted Smith while investigating a report of stolen snowmobiles located at an address on River Drive in Hungry Horse, Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino said. Deputies had observed the snowmobiles in plain sight, when Smith allegedly fled the house through a window after he broke through the ceiling, where he was hiding from deputies.
Deputies deployed a Taser without making contact and Smith then ran into a nearby vacation rental that was being rented by an Air Force serviceman and his wife who were in the hot tub on the deck at the time. The renter followed Smith into the rental and pushed Smith, who had been pleading for the man’s help, out of the house, the serviceman told the Hungry Horse News.
Smith then jumped a fence, the serviceman said, and ran into yet another residence, this one unoccupied. Smith then allegedly barricaded himself in the residence by blocking doorways and other entrances. Deputies were concerned because there were firearms in the home. Smith did apparently fire shots while in the residence.
The result was a standoff that lasted for more than two hours. Deputies, the Sheriff’s SWAT team, Columbia Falls police, Montana Highway Patrol and Kalispell Special Response Team all responded.
Law enforcement repeatedly attempted to talk Smith out of the house, including trying to communicate with him over a loudspeaker system. Officers also deployed a noise flash diversionary device or “flash bang” in hopes of eliciting a response, Heino said. Eventually verbal contact was made, with the subject reportedly being combative and making threats, Heino said. Officers then lobbed a canister of tear gas into the house.
Smith exited the house, was taken into custody, evaluated by medical personnel and transported to the county jail, Heino said.
The investigation is ongoing, Heino said.