Heber man arrested following multiple-hour standoff involving SWAT

HEBER — A man was arrested in Heber on Sunday, following an intense multiple-hour standoff in a parking lot.

Richard Cole Steed, 41, was arrested by the Heber police department on Sunday for crimes including aggravated assault, possession of a deadly weapon, and DUI.

According to a bookings affidavit, officers with the department responded to reports of a heavily intoxicated man on a porch, asking residents if they wanted marijuana or cocaine. After being asked to leave the residence, Steed allegedly returned, with “an extreme odor of an alcoholic beverage.”

Officers then responded to another call, this time of a male brandishing a firearm towards staff members of a local bar, according to the document. Witnesses at the bar stated that a staff member located cocaine and money in the bathroom, leading to Steed “freaking out” and exposing a firearm in his waistband.

According to the affidavit, officers located Steed in his vehicle and refused to comply with orders to exit, despite being given orders through a loudspeaker and phone calls. Steed was also seen taking drinks from a flask, and placing newspapers on the dashboard, which “prevented officers from seeing inside the vehicle.”

Officers identified Steed by matching the vehicle he was in with a description of his car from the previous call.

Steed then made various threats to officers, saying that he would shoot anybody who approached the vehicle. At that point, officers used a “pepper ball gun” to subdue Steed, after which he removed his pants before being taken into custody.

According to the affidavit, Steed’s vehicle was towed for evidence inventory, and during this, officers located open containers of alcohol, but could not locate the alleged firearm. At the time the affidavit was filed, officers hadn’t concluded their investigation.

Steed has also been arrested previously for crimes including dealing harmful materials to a minor and lewdness involving a child, and an arrest warrant was requested on May 7, following 18 calls for service in a month, all involving Steed at various addresses located in the Midway area.

Cole was booked into the Wasatch County jail on nine charges, including:

• driving under the influence, first offense in ten years, a class B misdemeanor;
• drinking alcohol in a vehicle, a class C misdemeanor;
• aggravated assault, a third-degree felony;
• possession of a deadly weapon with intent to assault, a class A misdemeanor;
• threat of violence, a class B misdemeanor;
• possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony;
• interfering with a peace officer, a class B misdemeanor;
• disorderly conduct, refusing to comply with a police officer, an infraction;
• carrying a dangerous weapon under the influence of alcohol/drugs, a class B misdemeanor.