Standoff ends in felony charges
Standoff ends in felony charges
By JILL DENNING GACKLE
A house owned by Connie Azure was nearly demolished, the schools were locked down and 10-15 neighbors on Ninth Street were evacuated for 34 hours last week.
Order resumed when Michael Jason Smith, 32, of Centennial, Colo., was taken into custody at 10 a.m. Dec. 20. Smith was known to Mountrail County police, according to Police Chief Art Walgren.
Mountrail County law enforcement officers were aware that Smith was in the area since this summer, New Town Police Chief Art Walgren said.
According to an affidavit from Derek Hill, a special agent and certified fire investigator with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, law enforcement responded to a room at Four Bears Casino on June 27 for a report of an odor of marijuana. Smith was inside with two other people. Smith consented to a search of the room, and officers found a Taurus 9 mm pistol, ammunition, drugs and drug paraphernalia in a black duffel bag.
