Suspect Arrested After Barricading Himself in House

At least 40 law enforcement officers, including SWAT team members, forced a 25-year-old man out of a west end home with tear gas early Saturday after he had barricaded himself there for more than six hours.

Justin James Merriman of Ventura was arrested about 3:45 a.m. on suspicion of being a convict in possession of a firearm, two counts of brandishing a weapon at a police officer, being under the influence of methamphetamine and felony vandalism.

“We’re just very fortunate no one got hurt,” said Lt. Carl Handy, a Ventura police special operations officer who was at the scene throughout the night. “This one had all the potential in the world of going sour.”

The events leading to the standoff began just after 9 p.m. Friday, when two Ventura County sheriff’s deputies, on routine crime patrol, tried to stop Merriman near Ramona and Cedar streets because his bicycle had no lights, Handy said.

But Merriman rode off, dumping the bike about a block away, with the deputies chasing on foot. They caught up to him a short time later, Handy said.

“Then he pulled out a handgun, put it to his temple and said, ‘Back off, or I’ll kill myself,’ ” Handy said.

Merriman took off running again, and a few minutes later a deputy saw him pounding on the door at a house in the 200 block of Kellogg Street, yelling “Let me in,” police said.

After he got inside, authorities surrounded the house and evacuated nearby homes while a sheriff’s helicopter hovered overhead, its spotlight illuminating the Kellogg Street residence.

About 9:45 p.m., just before the SWAT team arrived, two adult women, one carrying an infant girl, walked out of the house, Handy said. A third woman stayed inside.

“At that time, we thought we had a hostage situation because we could hear her screaming,” said Ventura Police Lt. Brad Talbot.

More than an hour later, the 29-year-old woman, whom police would not identify, came out of the home and told investigators she knew Merriman and was not held against her will.

For the next four hours, Merriman remained in a standoff with law enforcement officers, including sharpshooters and SWAT team members whose guns were leveled at the house, Handy said.

While they watched Merriman tear apart the home, officials tried to communicate with him by using a loudspeaker and by throwing telephones through the windows.

“He trashed the house,” said Sgt. Bill Bogner, who was at the scene. “He broke windows and threw everything outside.”

At one point, apparently surmising that police were about to use tear gas, Merriman wrapped wet towels around his head to serve as a gas mask and covered some doors and windows with blankets, Talbot said.

Finally, about 3:45 a.m., authorities hurled tear gas into the home. Merriman came out of the house with a large knife and waved it at the dozens of armed officers, Handy said.

But Merriman surrendered moments later, and no one was injured. As of Saturday evening, investigators had not found the handgun. Handy said Merriman could have got rid of the weapon before he went into the Kellogg Street house.

Merriman, who has at least one felony conviction, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday. He was being held Saturday in County Jail on $20,000 bail, a jail spokeswoman said.