Standoff with Violent Suspect Holding 3-year-old Ends with Arrest

San Angelo, TX – A 37-year-old man was taken into custody by San Angelo Police early Sunday morning after a standoff with Police near Ave N and A&M Ave.

According to information from the SAPD, the incident stemmed from a domestic disturbance in the 1600 blk of S. Harrison where a 24-year-old woman was injured, and a 3-year-old child was taken by the suspect. The suspect, Rondy Strickland, was taken into custody and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Driving While Intoxicated with a Child under 15.

The SAPD was dispatched to the intersection of Ave N and A&M in reference to an unknown problem. Officers arrived on scene and learned that the suspect was driving a white pickup truck (while intoxicated) with an unsecured 3-year-old child. Officers made contact with the suspect and gave him verbal commands to exit his vehicle.

The suspect exited his vehicle with the child and proceeded to walk into an open field near the mentioned intersection. The suspect refused to put the child down in an attempt to avoid being arrested.

Negotiators with SAPD’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) and SAPD’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) were requested at the suspect’s location to assist. After a substantial amount of time, Negotiators were successful in convincing the suspect to release the child and allow officers to take him into custody. The child was not injured and was safely returned to the victim.

Officers learned that the suspect had been involved in a domestic disturbance with a 24-year-old victim where he ran over the victim’s hand with his vehicle and fled the scene with the 3-year-old child. The victim was transported to Shannon Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.

Additional charges may be forthcoming as this investigation continue