Suspect barricades himself in RV outside Ephrata Walmart

EPHRATA - A man is in custody after a several-hour-long standoff at the Ephrata Walmart parking lot Monday night. Grant County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Kyle Foreman said Ephrata Police Officers responded to a call of a disturbance at the Dollar Tree, 1551 Nat Washington Way Ste A in Ephrata at about 6:30 p.m. When officers responded, Foreman said, the suspect, identified as Paul Cardwell, 62, of Bremerton, pulled a knife on officers and then proceeded to barricade himself inside his RV parked in the Walmart parking lot, neighboring the Dollar Tree. Over the course of about three to four hours, law enforcement requested the Moses Lake Regional Tactical Response Team and tried to negotiate with Cardwell to comply and surrender, according to a GCSO statement. Officers detonated a flash bang at about 10 p.m. in an effort to get him to leave the RV. Later, tear gas was deployed in the RV. When that failed to work, GCSO K-9 Edo, whose handler is Deputy Tyson Voss, entered the RV and took Cardwell into custody at about 11:10 p.m. Cardwell was transported to Columbia Basin Hospital for treatment and was lodged in the Grant County Jail upon release from medical care. Cardwell has been booked on suspicion of intimidating a public servant, harassment (threats to kill), criminal trespassing and unlawful carrying of a weapon. He is being held without bail. Rebecca Pettingill may be reached at rpettingill@columbiabasinherald.com.