News
Man Barricades Self In Coolville Home
By: Susan Tebben | The Athens Messenger
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A Belpre man is now in custody after barricading himself in a Coolville home while running from West Virginia and Athens County law enforcement.
Brandon Blouin, 22, was on the run from a warrant out of Parkersburg, officials said, when he went to a residence on State Route 144 at about 8:15 a.m. Thursday.
Deputies from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office were notified that Parkersburg police were looking for Blouin in reference to a felonious assault warrant, and received information that he had gone to the residence, reportedly the residence of his girlfriend, Sheriff Rodney Smith told The Messenger.
“We were told that there were people inside the house and that he might have two long rifles and a pistol with him,” Smith said.
The State Highway Patrol closed the road while a perimeter was established around the home.
Two women, including Blouin’s girlfriend, and a small child came out of the home, but Blouin refused law enforcement’s directions to leave the residence. He “retreated” to the basement of the home, according to Smith.
Special Response Teams from the Athens County and Washington County sheriff’s offices were called, and attempted to negotiate with Blouin.
The man eventually called his girlfriend and talked to Athens County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Bryan Cooper, and Blouin surrendered without further incident at about noon.
“No shots were fired and no one was injured,” Smith said.
Blouin is being held as a fugitive from justice at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail until awaiting an extradition hearing to determine whether he is transported back to West Virginia.
This is the second such incident in about a week in Athens County. The Glouster police and the Athens County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Republic Avenue in Glouster on Oct. 8 after pursuing Matthew Arno, 27, through Glouster.
Arno was wanted on a warrant for failing to appear in court and barricaded himself in the home of a relative, who was home at the time. He allegedly fired at police twice during the incident and a volleyball game at Trimble High was put on lockdown.
Arno was indicted Oct. 14 on two counts of felonious assault and one count each of discharge of a firearm on or near a prohibited area, possession of a firearm while under disability, inducing panic, receiving stolen property and aggravated robbery.