Photo: Scene of standoff (KHSL)
MAGALIA – Last Friday evening, deputies responded to Mason Court in response to a domestic violence incident. It soon became a barricade situation.
While the female victim left the premises to call 9-1-1, 36-year-old Logan Awalt remained. on site.
The agitated Awalt refused to surrender to deputies. Reports informed law enforcement that Awalt “was possibly under the influence of LSD or some other drug.” Also, Awalt had access to at least one firearm in the residence.
So deputies set up a perimeter safe distance away. They “continued to try and deescalate the situation” by “attempting to talk to Awalt.” The suspect came out and returned inside several times.
The situation became heated as Awalt threatened deputies. He said “someone would die if they attempted to take him into custody.” In order to prove his intention, he threw firewood and a chair at deputies. He also threatened to burn the residence down.
After two hours of unsuccessful negotiation, deputies brought in a K-9.
During one of his forays onto the porch, deputies released the hound. Awalt punched him and “used the front door to bash the dog.” Then the suspect went back inside and locked the door (to discouraged guests, no doubt).
Next, deputies forced their way and used a Taser and bean bag rounds on Awalt, who ran out the back.
The, he jumped a fence and barricaded himself in a neighbor’s house on Carnegie Road. After learning that this home had multiple firearms inside, SWAT, Bomb Squad and others came to the scene.
Two hours of silence prompted authorities to deploy the bomb squad robot into the residence. Subsequently, SWAT finally went in and discovered Awalt in the bathroom. He was finally taken into custody “after several minutes of struggling and additional Taser deployments.”
Awalt’s list of charges include felony domestic violence, burglary, criminal threats, vandalism, and felony resisting arrest. His bail will be approximately $218,000.
