Two men who allegedly fired at motorhome arrested in Bannock County after early morning standoff
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POCATELLO — Two men have been taken into custody following a standoff that took place early Thursday morning.
According to a news release from the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of two men shooting at a motorhome camped in the Trail Creek area. The release names William W. Cronon, 58, and Gavin R. Scollard, 44, both of Power County, as the alleged shooters arrested in relation to this incident.
“This was a best-case scenario for a high-risk call,” said Sheriff Tony Manu in the release. “I’m exceptionally proud of our deputies, the STAR Team, and our regional partners. Their professional coordination and patience brought a potentially dangerous situation to a peaceful resolution.”
Before authorities arrived to the scene, the suspects had fled the immediate area. The responding deputies secured the area while issuing a temporary shelter-in-place order and used a drone to search for the suspects.
“Within 20 minutes, law enforcement spotted the two men holding firearms in a ravine north of Trail Creek. During the search, the men fired their guns, possibly toward the drone,” the release says.
At this point, the Southeast Idaho Special Tactics and Response (STAR) Team responded to the scene. According to the release, while the team was en route, the deputies “talked with one of the suspects and convinced him to put down his gun. He was taken into custody without further incident at 3:12 a.m.”
At 3:25 a.m., the STAR Team took over communications and attempted to negotiate with the second suspect, who “refused to surrender and was still holding a firearm.”
“Continuous negotiations, along with canines and spotlights from the drone, led to the second man surrendering. He was taken into custody at 3:55 a.m.,” the release says.
There were no injuries to the victim, suspects or responding authorities in this incident.
Both Cronon and Scollard have been booked into the Bannock County Detention Center on initial charges of felony aggravated assault and felony unlawful discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling.
In addition to the Bannock County Sheriff’s Offices, the Pocatello and Chubbuck police departments, Idaho State Police, Bannock County Ambulance District, and the Southeast Idaho STAR Team responded to the incident.
The shelter-in-place order has officially been lifted.
“However, West Trail Creek Road from the cattle guard to the county line remains temporarily closed Thursday morning while investigators process the scene,” the release says.