Athens police have identified and charged the man who barricaded himself on a steep wooded hillside in the city earlier this month, ending a standoff that drew a crisis negotiator to the scene.
Nicholas M. Oyster, 23, of West Jefferson, faces a fourth-degree felony burglary charge and a felony charge of assaulting a police officer, according to court and police records obtained by the Athens Messenger.
The incident began Sept. 11 when officers responded to a report of an unknown man in a building on West Carpenter Street. An officer stopped Oyster in a vehicle at 19 E. Carpenter St., where police say he fled an OVI investigation and nearly struck the officer with his vehicle.
Investigators say Oyster then fled into a residence at 60 Fairview Ave., where he was discovered by the homeowners. Court documents allege he stole a bottle of tonic water from their refrigerator while trying to hide from police.
Officers later recovered Oyster from a hillside between Fairview Avenue and Fort Street and took him into custody after intervention by a crisis negotiator from the Athens County Sheriff’s Office. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Court records show Oyster was indicted on a second-degree felony burglary charge and arraigned Sept. 16. He was released Sept. 14 on a $25,000 recognizance bond with orders to return for future hearings.
