GREAT FALLS – Ronald Millard Smith Jr. was arrested on Friday after being engaged in a stand-off with law enforcement officers in Kalispell.
Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said in a Facebook post on Monday that at about 6 p.m., the Flathead County SWAT team responded to 62 Silverleaf Drive where a man – later identified as Smith – had barricaded himself in a small camper trailer.
Patrol units had responded to that address just before 6 p.m. after receiving a 911 call of a partner/family member assault in progress. Patrol units found Smith along with the female victim outside of the residence when they arrived.
According to Sheriff Curry, Smith then ran into the residence and then out the back door, and then went into a camper which was parked just outside the residence.
Patrol units were advised by the victim that there were numerous weapons in the camper.
After attempting to negotiate with Smith for approximately one hour, the patrol sergeant requested the SWAT team.
The SWAT team and two negotiators arrived, and a perimeter was established and the negotiators attempted to make contact with Smith, to no avail.
At about 9:30 p.m., a wooden dowel round was deployed in an attempt to elicit a response, and then tear gas was introduced into the camper.
Smith came out of the camper within 30 seconds and was taken into custody. He was taken by ambulance to a Kalispell hospital, where he was cleared and released to detention.
Smith was arrested on a $25,000 warrant and reports were referred to the County Attorney for charges related to the partner/family member assault.
