Friday, June 29, 2007
Three air guns, a rifle and two pistols were confiscated.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN — It took a 40 mm rubber bean-bag round — shot into a rump — and the threat of tear gas to end a three-hour standoff that began after firefighters ducked for cover from what looked like an assault weapon but turned out to be an air gun.
Three men arrested at 57 E. Delason Ave. on Wednesday night after a massive show of police force, including hostage negotiators and The Bear, a huge black tactical response truck, were video arraigned Thursday in municipal court:
UWilliam C. Pietz, 29, the resident, is charged with misconduct at an emergency, aggravated menacing and obstructing official business. His bond is $100,000.
UJames Young, 51, of Williamson Avenue is charged with inducing panic, aggravated menacing, misconduct at an emergency and obstructing official business. His bond is $150,000.
UJoseph E. Williamson, 21, of Williamson Avenue is charged with misconduct at an emergency and obstructing official business. His bond is $10,000.
All three will be back in court July 6.
Menace to society
Atty. Bassil Ally, an assistant city prosecutor, told Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. that weapons were brandished and firefighters had to hide behind their trucks. Police confiscated three air guns, a rifle and two pistols, found inside Pietz’s house.
Ally said to call Pietz a menace to society “is a understatement.” He added that Pietz’s record includes numerous domestic violence convictions.
Ally said Young’s extensive record, which includes a sex offense, comes from various jurisdictions, such as Oklahoma and Florida.
The prosecutor described Williamson’s role as interesting, saying that, after police arrived, Williamson, in a drunken state, tried to aid his two friends. Reports show Williamson, with a can of beer in his hand, was warned to leave but kept insisting that he and he alone could “talk out” his friends holed up inside 57 East Delason.
What happened
Firefighters were sent to 68 East Delason around 7:45 p.m. Wednesday and found the vacant house fully engulfed in flames. For safety reasons, the structure was allowed to burn down.
About 8:35, Pietz, standing in his front yard, began yelling at firefighters that they should have put out the fire by now and Young pointed what looked like an assault rifle at the firefighters, police said.
Firefighters took cover behind their trucks.
Pietz and Young, aware that police had been called, went in the house and refused to come out when police used a bullhorn. Hostage negotiators also made calls to the house.
When threatened that tear gas would be used, Pietz came out to the porch around 11:15 p.m. but screamed that he wouldn’t comply with police orders. He was then struck once by a rubber bean-bag shot and ran back inside. He gave up after 10 minutes, followed a few minutes later by Young.
meade@vindy.com