A Botetourt County man was arrested and charged after a reported abduction that led to a standoff with deputies Monday.
Richard Boone Willard, Jr., 60, of Fincastle, is charged with abduction, assault and battery of a family member, preventing persons from calling 911, reckless handling of a firearm, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
Willard is currently being held in the Botetourt-Craig Regional Jail without bond, according to the release.
At approximately 7:05 p.m. Monday deputies were dispatched to Ruby Road for a domestic assault call involving a male with a gun. A female stated she had been assaulted by her boyfriend while the two were traveling in a vehicle and again once they arrived at the residence of the boyfriend on Ruby Road. The woman stated the boyfriend had broken her phone, smashed the front windshield of her car and had fired a single gunshot, according to the release.
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Deputies arrived on the scene and were met by the woman who said she was dragged by her hair into a camper as she attempted to escape the assault. Deputies learned the boyfriend had fled into the camper, possibly armed with a handgun, according to the release.
The county Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team responded to the scene to assist in the surrender. After multiple attempts to talk the suspect into exiting the camper, the suspect refused to communicate with crisis negotiators. Non-lethal irritants were deployed into the camper by the Emergency Response Team and at around 12:10 a.m. Tuesday, and deputies were able to talk the suspect into surrendering without further incident, according to the release.
No one was injured during the standoff. The woman had apparent minor injuries to her face and declined medical assistance, according to the release.