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ST. GEORGE — A nearly 11-hour standoff between police and a man believed to have a gun ended peacefully after officers fired OC powder into his mobile home.
Guy Fotheringham, 59, was arrested and booked into the Washington County Jail for investigation of trespassing, criminal mischief, domestic violence threats, unlawful discharge of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a restricted person.
The incident began about 12:30 a.m. when Fotheringham "illegally entered or remained on the neighbor's property and broke property belonging to the neighbor," according to statement from St. George police.
Fotheringham returned to his trailer, near 600 E. St. George Blvd., got into a dispute with another person at his residence, retrieved two guns — believed to be an AR-15 rifle and a .32-caliber pistol — and fired eight to 10 rounds, according to police.
No one was injured.
Several surrounding homes and business were evacuated as a SWAT team was called to surround the trailer and begin negotiations.
Police attempted to make contact using both a cellphone and bullhorn. After some time had passed and police hadn't heard from the man or noticed any activity, officers launched OC powder into the trailer, which is like pepper spray but in powder form.
At that point, St. George Police Capt. Mike Giles said, "We were able to talk to the subject for quite a while."
But the communication went silent again after awhile, and police opted to fire more OC powder into his home about 11:15 a.m. At that point, the man came out of his trailer and surrendered.
"We're very pleased with how this turned out. It's been a long morning for all of the officers involved. It's going to be a long morning moving forward for the investigators. But I don't think it could have turned out any more positively than it has. Everybody is going home. Everyone is safe. He's going to get some medical treatment. I don't see it happening any better than it has. This is a good resolution," Giles said.
No one else was in the trailer with the man during the standoff.
Court records show in 2012, Fotheringham was arrested and extradited back to Florida for a probation felony in that state. He was also found guilty of trespassing in 2008.
Contributing: Stace Hall
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