BENTON — A Saline County man was charged with third-degree domestic battery after a five-hour standoff with Saline County sheriff’s office SWAT officers, Arkansas State Police and U.S. Marshals on Tuesday afternoon.
Jonathan Johnson, 37, eventually turned himself in at the Saline County sheriff’s office lobby after covertly leaving the house where the incident occurred while police were setting up a secure perimeter, said sheriff’s office spokesman Lt. Scotty Courtney.
Police were called to a house near Casa Lane outside Benton after receiving calls of gunshots being fired. An officer heard two gunshots when he arrived at the house and was met by a woman, Jo Walker, who told officers Johnson was crazy and shooting up the house, according to a report. Walker also told officers that Johnson had hit her several times.
Officers called Johnson, who was in the house alone with several firearms, according to the report. Johnson told police he would not come out because he was tired of being arrested when he wasn’t at fault. He told officers that Walker had started the argument by hitting him. The officer said Johnson had a visible wound on his forehead.
The Saline County sheriff’s office Special Weapons and Tactics team and several other law-enforcement agencies were called to the house to create a perimeter. Courtney said that, during that time, Johnson left the house through a back entrance and was missing for about five hours. Courtney said police did not believe Johnson was dangerous, but a helicopter was called in to search for him.
Walker was arrested and charged with domestic battery and taken to the police station. Johnson turned himself in to the sheriff’s office about 10:30 p.m.
Arkansas, Pages 17 on 11/25/2010