Polson standoff resolved peacefully

After a 48-hour standoff, area SWAT teams on Monday evening arrested a Polson man wanted in connection with the death of his father.

No shots were fired and no one was injured when armed officers apprehended Ross Johnson, 20, at his home near Kerr Dam Road outside Polson.

Johnson is a suspect in the alleged homicide in Sanders County. Johnson's father, whose name has not yet been released by authorities, was found dead Saturday along the Thompson River about 12 miles northeast of Thompson Falls.

By 7 p.m. Saturday, Ross Johnson had barricaded himself in the family home near Polson.

Two dozen neighbors were evacuated during the standoff. They were allowed to go back home about 9 p.m. Monday, said Carey Cooley, a spokeswoman for the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

SWAT teams from Lake, Flathead and Missoula counties were called in along with negotiators, Cooley said. Kalispell Police Department also had its Ballistic Engineered Armored Response vehicle at the scene.

Officers cut power to the home during the standoff and allowed only one active phone line so negotiators could try to coax Johnson out of the home. Johnson was alone in the house.

Negotiations continued until shortly after 4 p.m. Monday, when SWAT teams moved in and fired several dozen canisters of non-lethal tear gas into the home, Cooley said.

When Johnson didn't respond to the gas, law officers sent in Missoula County's remote-controlled robot to assess the interior. Through the robot, officers were able to speak further with Johnson.

Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan, who was on the scene, said Johnson had barricaded himself in one room in the home.

Officers then moved in, used a Taser on Johnson and arrested him.

"Nobody got hurt," Meehan said, adding that Sanders County is leading the homicide investigation. "They don't have a motive. They have a lot of unanswered questions."

Carey said Johnson and his vehicle were identified through witness accounts, and that led authorities to the Johnson home in one of Polson's nicer rural neighborhoods.

During the standoff, the Red Cross opened a shelter at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Polson for evacuees. A disaster volunteer said a half-dozen people were at the church on Sunday afternoon.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com