Man allegedly breaks into home, stabs belongings and causes SWAT standoff
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IDAHO FALLS — Court documents give more details about an incident involving a 25-year-old man allegedly breaking into a woman’s home through a window, stabbing her belongings with a knife and causing a SWAT standoff for over four hours.
Colton Bennet Lopez has been charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors.
Here are his charges:
- Felony burglary
- Felony malicious injury to property
- Misdemeanor resisting arrest
- Misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance
- Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia
- Misdemeanor violation of a protection order
- Misdemeanor battery
What happened
On Tuesday at 9:15 p.m., Idaho Falls Police Department officers responded to a report of a domestic dispute in the area of Lincoln Drive and 1st Street.
RELATED | Man arrested after lengthy standoff with Idaho Falls police
The victim told police a man named Lopez was inside her home, destroying her belongings and causing thousands of dollars in damage. She said that he was armed with knives, according to court documents.
She said Lopez had broken a window to get inside her home, and she had seen him “stabbing things with a knife.”
She reported that when she said she was going to call the police, Lopez attacked her and covered her mouth with his hand, a news release said. She allegedly had to bite him to get away.
Lopez came outside of the home where police were and “aggressively” kept putting his hands in his pockets. Officers asked him to stop putting his hands in his pockets. That’s when he ran back into the home and barricaded himself inside. He would not come out, documents said.
SWAT responded to the scene
SWAT was called. Lopez refused to come out of the home after multiple announcements that he was under arrest.
The victim told officers she had an active no-contact order against him out of California, which was confirmed by police.
An officer, along with a K9, searched Lopez’s vehicle — a 2010 Ford Edge — licensed through California. The officer found a marijuana dab kit, a green smoking bong and a marijuana grinder.
After a four and a half hour standoff, the SWAT team forced entry into the home. Lopez was found hiding inside the attic crawl space.
He was taken into custody and transported to the Bonneville County Jail.
Lopez was given a $25,000 bond. A no-contact order was filed.
Lopez has been assigned a Bonneville County public defender, according to court records. EastIdahoNews.com reached out to the office for comment on his side of the story; however, according to the front desk, due to attorney-client privilege, no comments are being made.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 9 at 1 p.m. at the Bonneville County Courthouse.
Though Lopez has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.