Sheriff IDS suspect in Wednesday hostage situation
A 47-year-old man was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of false imprisonment, unlawful possession of firearms as a convicted felon, and violating a restraining order against domestic violence following a lengthy hostage situation at his home near Phoenix Lake Estates that ended without anyone involved suffering serious injuries.
The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office released a statement at 10:14 a.m. Thursday that provided more information about the incident, which shut down a portion of Phoenix Lake Road for several hours Wednesday evening.
Sheriff’s deputies initially responded to a home on Phoenix Lake Road near Bear Cub Drive about 2 p.m. Wednesday after dispatchers received two 911 hang-ups from the residence and could hear yelling on the second call before it disconnected, the agency said.
Upon arriving at the home, the deputies spoke to a woman who told them she had been in an argument with her boyfriend, whom the Sheriff’s Office identified in the statement as Michael Snell.
A record check conducted by the deputies revealed that the woman had recently been a victim of domestic violence involving Snell and had an active restraining order protecting her from him, the Sheriff’s Office stated.
Snell reportedly did not respond to the deputies’ initial attempts to talk with him, and the woman told them there was a second female hostage inside the bathroom of the residence.
They were able to speak with the second victim on her cell phone, and she confirmed that she was a hostage and unable to leave, according to the statement.
He began talking to deputies just before 3 p.m. and refused to exit the home or allow the second victim to leave, according to the statement.
The Sheriff’s Office said Snell then asked to speak with a hostage negotiator and made several statements that the deputies found concerning, including being in possession of a gun and flammable liquid, references to the second female
victim as his “bargaining chip,” and threats to harm her.
“Statements made by other involved parties indicated Snell possessed a knife and was making statements he would not go back to jail,” the Sheriff’s Office stated.
At 4:07 p.m. Wednesday, the Sheriff’s Office released its first public statement announcing that deputies were at the scene of a hostage situation on Phoenix Lake Road near Phoenix Lake Estates and asking people to avoid the area.
The Sheriff’s Office released an update at 5:01 p.m. Wednesday stating that its SWAT team and crisis negotiators were also at the scene and were actively communicating with a man toward a peaceful resolution.
Negotiations continued for the next several hours, with Phoenix Lake Road between Bear Cub Drive and Paseo De Los Portales being shut down to traffic throughout that time.
Deputies learned during the negotiations that Snell had made a barricade in the hallway by tying doors together, according to the statement Thursday morning. Just after 8 p.m., the female hostage exited the residence and declined offers of medical aid.
Snell returned to the bathroom as SWAT personnel entered the residence and placed him under arrest. He was provided medical aid for what the statement described as a “minor selfinflicted injury.”
The Sheriff’s Office released another public statement at 9:02 p.m. Wednesday announcing the situation had ended peacefully and that all road closures had been lifted.
“We want to thank our community for their patience and support during this incident,” the Sheriff’s Office stated.
During a search of the residence, the Sheriff’s Office stated that detectives found a wooden furniture leg, shotgun, several hundred rounds of various ammunition, spent casing and reloading equipment.
Snell was transported to the Dambacher Detention Center in Sonora, where he was booked on charges of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms, false imprisonment, false imprisonment of another to avoid arrest, and violation of a protective order. He remained in custody as of Thursday, according to online records.
Sheriff’s Investigator Ashley Boujikian, a spokeswoman for the office, said that Snell was not allowed to possess guns due to the restraining order and being a convicted felon. She did not have further details to provide on the prior conviction.
Jail booking records show Michael James Snell, 47, of the 21200 block of Phoenix Lake Road, was last arrested Jan. 27 at his home and booked into jail on suspicion of felony domestic violence. His bail was set at $35,000.
Sheriff’s Capt. David Vasquez estimated that 28 personnel from the Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident throughout its duration, not including California Highway Patrol Officers who helped man roadblocks.
Vasquez said the way the incident ended was the “absolute best outcome you can ask for, given the situation.”
“What our outcome was last night is absolutely the goal,” he said. “It’s what we plan for, what we strategize for … When subjects involved grant us the gift of time, we will take all of that time. It’s really about patience, talking, and having that meaningful dialogue to reach a peaceful resolution.”