Suspect surrenders to police after 3-hour standoff with SWAT in Little Valley

ST. GEORGE — A suspect was taken into custody by police following a 4-hour incident in Little Valley that involved the SWAT team and multiple officers that was set in motion the night before when officers responded to a report of a family fight at the same residence.

St. George Police Department’s SWAT team responds to a domestic disturbance on East 3770 South in Little Valley, Utah, Feb. 9, 2021 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

After a more than 3-hour standoff, a 46-year-old man surrendered to authorities and was transported to jail following an incident that involved St. George Police Department’s SWAT team. The team was deployed to a residence on East 3770 South in Little Valley to assist in searching for the suspect while the entire block was cordoned off by police, St. George Police Sgt. Tyrell Bangerter told St. George News at the scene.

Bangerter also said once SWAT was called out, two schools, Little Valley Elementary and Sunrise Ridge Intermediate, were placed on lockout, to prevent anyone from entering the facilities, as was reported earlier by Steven Dunham, Washington County School District communications director.  The suspect was taken into custody shortly before 2 p.m. but the lockout remained in place until the close of the school day as a safety precaution.

Tuesday’s incident began the night before when officers were dispatched to a residence on East 3770 South in Little Valley on a family fight in progress.

Craig Devon Alldredge, 46, of Little Valley, Utah, photo taken in Washington County, Utah, Feb. 9, 2021 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, St. George News

Officers arrived to learn that Alldredge, who had recently left an alcohol detox program four days before and was taking medication while drinking “an unknown amount of whisky,” was threatening to shoot several family members, the officer noted in the probable cause statement filed with the court.

The suspect reportedly continued to be threatening and continued drinking as he went outside. When he was told he could not return to the home until he calmed down, he then became violent.

The report also states the suspect got into a verbal altercation with a neighbor, a conversation that was overheard be a second neighbor driving by who stopped to help deescalate the situation, efforts that ultimately failed. At this point, police were called, and the neighbor restrained Alldredge to prevent him from injuring himself while officers were en route.

When officers arrived, they placed the suspect in handcuffs and an ambulance was called to the scene. The suspect began resisting as officers tried to contain him. He allegedly made several threats toward family members and the two neighbors who intervened. He also threatened to kill the officers.

Alldredge was then loaded into an ambulance and transported to the hospital accompanied by an officer who also rode in the back to assist the medical crew if needed.

In spite of the two doses of medication administered to calm the suspect down, he continued to be combative at the hospital and allegedly kicked at the medical staff, leaving the officer to write that the medication “appeared to have no effect.”

St. George Police Department’s SWAT team responds to a domestic disturbance on East 3770 South in Little Valley, Utah, Feb. 9, 2021 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News

Once medically cleared the suspect was placed in a restraint device and transported to jail shortly after midnight and booked on 10 misdemeanor charges, including five counts of threat of violence, two counts of assault on a health care worker, interfering with an arrest, intoxication and disorderly conduct.

He was released from jail several hours later with a no-contact order in place. Bangerter said the suspect then returned to the residence shortly before 10 a.m. and police were called. The suspect then fled from the arriving officers who wanted to speak to him, and based on the incident the previous night, authorities had reason to believe there may be weapons involved.

At that point St. George Police SWAT was called out and responded to the scene, where the tactical unit surrounded the home and began searching for the suspect. Residents were asked to lock their doors and shelter in place. St. George Police Chief Kyle Whitehead also responded to the scene.

Once the home was cleared, they started a search of the extensive property where several outbuildings and trailers were located.

After more than three hours, Alldgredge was found in large box trailer located toward the rear of the property shortly before 2 p.m. He surrendered to authorities without further incident. He was checked by medical and transported from the scene by police.

No injuries were reported and the incident is still under investigation so no further details were available at the time of this report.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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