An approximately seven-hour standoff at a home in the 8300 block of East Forest Hills Drive in Dittmer home on Monday (Oct. 2) ended after authorities used tear gas and a Taser to capture a man holed up in the attic. The standoff started after law enforcement officers showed up at the home to arrest Michael A. Roberts, 43, who lives at the home and was wanted on several outstanding felony warrants. Someone inside the home fired shots at the officers, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported.
Roberts was taken into custody, taken to an area hospital for treatment of injuries and then transported to the Jefferson County Jail, where he was being held this afternoon (Oct. 5) on a $50,000 cash-only bond.
Others who were in the house with Roberts during the standoff also were arrested, authorities said.
Roberts was wanted on warrants for possession of a controlled substance and delivery of a controlled substance and multiple traffic violations and other misdemeanors.
Jefferson County Sheriff David Marshak said the standoff began around 3 p.m. and ended shortly after 10 p.m. He said both Sheriff’s Office deputies and Missouri State Highway Patrol officers went to the house to arrest Roberts, and after the shots were fired, the Jefferson County SWAT team was called in.
Marshak said the law enforcement officers eventually “used chemical munitions – tear gas.”
“He (Roberts) was in the attic. He either came down or fell through the ceiling and he put up a fight. They tasered him,” Marshak said.
Shortly after officers arrived at the home, Lauren Zacher, 23, of Imperial exited the house and was arrested on warrants for possession of a controlled substance and delivery of a controlled substance.
In addition, after the tear gas was used, William Parker, 46, of Grubville exited the house and was arrested on suspicion of felony second-degree domestic assault and felony first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle.
During the investigation, officers found that a vehicle at the home had been reported stolen from Kirkwood. In addition, officers found one handgun, two rifles and spent shell casings inside the house, the Sheriff’s Office reported.
Roberts, Parker and Zacher all were being held at the Jefferson County Jail as of this afternoon.