Man arrested on roof of FBI building is charged

SAN DIEGO -- A 36-year-old Lakeside man was charged Monday with destruction of government property in connection with an incident Sunday in which he broke into FBI property, climbed atop a roof and refused to surrender for five hours.

Richard William Durant III remains in a medical facility for treatment and evaluation, according to the FBI. Once he is released, he will be booked into the federal jail in downtown San Diego.

Durant is accused of climbing the fence at the FBI headquarters in the Sorrento Valley neighborhood, breaking into a garage and then making his way to the roof of a one-story annex.

Durant warned a security guard “Don’t try to stop me. I have weapons,” smashed the window of a government vehicle in the garage and damaged a security camera on the roof of the one-story annex, the FBI said.

He also ripped off the handle of a door on the roof in an unsuccessful attempt to get into the building, the FBI said.

For hours, FBI negotiators tried to persuade Durant to surrender.

When he started a fire in the heating and air-conditioning unit on the roof of the annex, FBI SWAT agents “intervened” and arrested him, the FBI said.

Durant’s motive for the episode remains unclear although he did call local TV stations and said he wanted to talk to an FBI agent because he did not trust San Diego police.

Twitter: @LATsandiego

tony.perry@latimes.com