Domestic battery leads to standoff

Douglas Counties arrested a man after a late-night manhunt and brief standoff Wednesday.

Ronald Hallam, 33, was arrested by members of the Douglas County Special Weapons and Tactics Team. He was jailed in lieu of $17,585 bail on charges of domestic battery, eluding a police officer and alternative-sentencing violation.

Authorities received a 9:55 p.m. emergency call from a 15-year-old boy saying his mother's boyfriend was assaulting her, according to Douglas Sheriff's Sgt. Tom Mezzetta.

Deputies responded to a home on Downs Avenue in the Johnson Lane area and found a 1990 Mercury Cougar with someone in it parked in the driveway.

One of the patrol cars pulled in behind the car, but the driver backed down the driveway and swerved around the deputy. According to deputies, the driver of the Cougar left at high speed with his headlights off.

Officers lost sight of the Cougar, and additional patrol cars were called into the area.

The 47-year-old victim told deputies Hallam lived with her, and that a dispute escalated into violence when he started hitting her and her son and daughter. She said Hallam had threatened to kill her, and that he would resist arrest.

Soon, deputies spotted the Cougar parked on a power-line road with Hallam inside.

Hallam then telephoned the victim, and an officer at the home spoke with him.

According to Mezzetta, Hallam told officers to back off, saying he had a 9 mm handgun. He then hung up.

Douglas County called out SWAT officers and negotiated with Hallam until he agreed to surrender. Mezzetta said no weapon was found, and that Hallam had lied about having the gun.

The woman was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Hallam was booked into Douglas County Jail.