Pepper Balls Used to Corral Domestic Violence Suspect in Chelan

A Chelan man is in legal hot water after a protracted standoff with authorities.

This past Thursday, 40-year-old Judson Biggs was confronted by law enforcement at a residence in the 100 block of Chelan Butte Rd. Police were there to execute an arrest warrant. A few days prior, Biggs had reportedly erupted in violence, choking his girlfriend and kicking her down a flight of stairs. He now faced strangulation charges.

Biggs was neither contrite nor cooperative on Thursday. Instead of surrendering, he "barricaded" himself in the Chelan Butte home, which was strewn with firearms.

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According to Chief Seth Buhler of the Chelan County Sheriff's Office, deputies initiated phone contact with Biggs, but he was unyielding in his refusal to come outside.

It wasn't long before the East Cascade SWAT Team was activated.

But before SWAT could descend on the premises, Biggs gave himself up. He made the terminally unwise decision to crack open his bedroom window and verbally berate the responding deputies. In turn deputies hurled a pepper ball through the open window; it was too much for Biggs to bear.

Biggs was subsequently booked into the Chelan County Regional Justice Center. In addition to his outstanding warrants, Biggs faces domestic violence, obstructing and resisting arrest charges.

When it's all said and done, Biggs may also be charged with felony drug possession.

Once Biggs had been extracted from the bedroom, deputies conducted a search; they happened across an unspecified quantity of "suspected" fentanyl powder.