THOMPSON FALLS – A man who escaped police after firing shots at a Sanders County motel on Wednesday is now behind bars.
The Sanders County Sheriff’s Office reports that West Flockerzi of Trout Creek was taken into custody on the arrest warrant early Friday following after a several hours long standoff with law enforcement.
Flockerzi was armed and anticipating a shootout with law enforcement upon service of the warrant, according to authorities.
A request was made for assistance from the Missoula County Tactical Response Team at approximately 5:30 p.m. due to that threat. During the standoff, an armored unit from the Kalispell Police Department was also utilized by the Missoula team.
“Several members of our team responded to the area of Trout Creek to help apprehend a suspect barricaded in a residence there,” the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office stated in a social media post.
The suspect was taken into custody at approximately 5 a.m. on Friday, according to the MCSO.
Flockerzi was wanted after a Wednesday incident when Sanders County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to reports of a man pointing a firearm at another at the Lakeside Motel in Trout Creek. They also say the suspect tried to start a fire at the motel.
The suspect returned to the scene and fired more shots at a nearby building before driving away.
