Crime & Safety
West Norriton man in custody after police standoff
The man was barricaded in his Clearview Avenue home for more than three hours after sheriff's deputies attempted to serve him with an eviction notice this morning.
A West Norriton man is in police custody following a three-hour armed standoff that began when sheriff's deputies attempted to serve him with eviction papers at his Clearview Avenue home this morning.
A neighbor who declined to be named said the man, identified as Ronald Dziewit, 51, is a veteran who has experienced mortgage-related problems in recent years and who had previously expressed defiance over the possible foreclosure of his home.
A county SWAT team and several area police departments converged at the scene of the standoff, which West Norriton Police Chief Robert Adams said had ended without bloodshed and "as well as could be expected."
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For three hours, police and SWAT team personnel took up posts on the surrounding streets and in nearby homes, some of which were evacuated. Dziewit was often in clear view of police snipers, who could regularly be heard on police radio describing his location and activities inside the home.
Meanwhile, police negotiators continued to speak with the man on the telephone. They are believed to have enlisted the help of friends and family members to convince Dziewit to surrender.
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Montgomery County property records indicate that the home is owned by the Veterans' Affairs office, which purchased it from Dziewit in 2007 for $1,534.
Earlier story and updates below.
Updated 1:02pm: West Norriton Police Chief Robert Adams has told Patch the man is in custody.
Updated 12:40pm: The man, tentatively identified as Ronald Dziewit, continues to speak with police negotiators.
Earlier story and updates below.
A county SWAT team and several area police departments are engaged in a standoff outside a home on Clearview Avenue in West Norriton, where an armed 51-year-old man has barricaded himself inside.
West Norriton Police Chief Robert Adams said the standoff began when personnel from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department attempted to serve the man with an eviction notice this morning.
Adams said police negotiators are speaking with the man, identified by a neighbor as "Ron." According to the neighbor, who declined to be identified, "Ron" is a former member of the military who has had problems with his mortgage in recent years and previously expressed defiance at the prospect of losing his home.
Montgomery County property records indicate that the home is owned by the Veterans' Affairs office, which purchased it from a Ronald Dziewit in 2007 for $1,534.
A SWAT team has been on the scene since about 10:15am. A friend of the man is believed to be working with police negotiators to convince him to come out of the house.
Earlier updates follow.
Update 11:15am: A neighbor who declined to be named identified the barricaded man as "Ron." The neighbor said that "Ron" is a former member of the military who has been having problems with his mortgage and has previously expressed defiance at the prospect of losing the home.
County property records indicate that the house is owned by the Veterans' Affairs office. The previous owner is listed as Ronald Dziewit.
It is not immediately clear whether authorities attempted to serve an eviction notice prior to the standoff.
Update 10:46am: Authorities are in telephone contact with the man inside the house.
Update 10:31am: A police radio report has indicated that the man is armed with two shotguns and a Marlin rifle.
Update 10:25am: The man was seen waving his arm out a window holding what police radio reports identified as a telephone. Police have determined that a television is on inside the home.
The man appeared to be "trying to get someone's attention" through a window of the home, according to police radio reports. A negotiator is said to be preparing to make contact with the man.
Initial story below.
A SWAT team has been called to a residence on Clearview Avenue in West Norriton, where police are engaged in a standoff with a barricaded male subject.
Unconfirmed emergency radio reports indicate that the subject is armed, possibly with a shotgun. An additional report indicated that he telephoned a third party shortly before 10:00am to "say goodbye."
Patch is on the way to the scene. We'll update this article with more information as we obtain it.
