OWINGS, W.Va. — A Shinnston man was apprehended late Monday night by law enforcement in the Owings Hill area of Harrison County following a standoff with police.
According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Andrew Neal Debolt, 36, violated the terms of his supervised release following a firearms conviction in federal court. An arrest warrant was issued Dec. 18 and police began looking for him.
On Dec. 23, Debolt was observed by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department on a side-by-side but was able to flee from officers, despite almost striking a cruiser.
On Monday, at 10:15 a.m., while searching for Debolt in a residence on Owings Road, an officer allegedly observed Debolt again on a side-by-side and a pursuit ensued. Debolt abandoned the side-by-side at the Owings Church and eluded police in a nearby wooded area.
Later, police received a tip that Debolt was in a residence of an associate on Shortwall Street in the Owings area of Shinnston. Supervisory Deputy Marshal with the U.S. Marshal Service, Terry Moore said they were able to make contact with Debolt at the home.
“He did respond and said he would not surrender himself from the upstairs of the residence, he also indicated he had a hostage on the second floor,” Moore said. “So, we requested assistance from the West Virginia State Police Hostage Negotiation Team and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department’s SWAT team.”
Moore said the standoff began around 10:30 p.m. and ended with Debolt’s arrest at midnight without incident.
Moore adds that Debolt initiated verbal contact with police while in the upstairs of the residence.
“Mr. Debolt did not want to go back to prison,”Moore said. “So, he was talking about how he did not want to go back to prison and how he was willing to avoid that.”
Moore said negotiators kept Debolt calm and were able to convince him the best course of action was to surrender with his hands up.
Because the standoff occurred on the second floor, police used special tactics and equipment.
Debolt is being held in the North Central Regional Jail.
West Virginia State Police, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Morgantown Police Department, Harrison County EMS, and Shinnston Fire Department assisted in the case.