MILLVILLE, Del.- Delaware State Police say a man who barricaded himself inside a Sussex County home on Monday night is facing assault and related charges.
Police said the incident began around 6 p.m. Monday, when troopers were called to a home on the 30000 block of Big Marsh Court, Bethany Bay in Ocean View, for a reported domestic incident involving 35-year-old Joshua Dean Howard of Ocean View and his 25-year-old girlfriend.
Troopers said a fight broke out between the couple over Howard's possible intoxication, and at one point, Howard allegedly threatened to kill her. The woman then contacted a male co-worker of Howard's to assist in calming him down, according to police. Police said that when the 35-year-old co-worker arrived at the condo and made contact with Howard at the door, a fight ensued between the two and the co-worker was slapped across the face. Howard then closed and locked the door leaving the two victims outside. Howard's girlfriend then contacted the Emergency Operations Center (9-1-1) after Howard refused to open the door, police said.
Troopers said they attempted to make contact with Howard for several minutes and eventually learned through the investigation that he may possibly have weapons in his possession. Troopers then began evacuating the buildings in the immediate area as a precaution while continuing to make contact with Howard, police said.
After approximately four hours of negotiations by the DSP Conflict Management Team, entry was made into the condominium by the DSP Special Operations Response Team, which located Howard in a bedroom where he was taken into custody without incident.
Howard was charged with third-degree assault, terroristic threatening, two counts of offensive touching and criminal mischief. He was ordered held in the Sussex Correctional Institution on $1,750 bail.
There were no injuries as a result of this incident, police said. The evacuated residents were permitted to return to their condominiums shortly thereafter.
