VINTON (WSLS 10) - Police arrested a man on Friday morning after a car chase and standoff in Vinton.
James Robert Vermillion, 37, is now in custody and is being taken to the hospital for an evaluation. He was previously wanted on outstanding warrants.
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On Thursday at 5:08 p.m., the Vinton Police Department was notified that a wanted person was at a residence in the 1200 block of Ruddell Road. Two Vinton officers responded and say they found a woman and an armed man, Vermillion, inside the residence.
The woman was safely removed from the home by the officers. Vermillion approached the officers with a gun to his head while moving to his vehicle parked adjacent to the residence, according to police.
He then fled the residence in his vehicle, at which point Vinton officers engaged in a pursuit into Bedford County on Hardy Road. The pursuit ended in the area of Timberline Road when officers lost sight of Vermillion.
Officers were notified a short time later that the vehicle was at the intersection of Rt. 24 and Beagle Club Rd where it had crashed.
Police say that Vermillion, who was still armed, carjacked someone's vehicle and drove away in the stolen vehicle.
A Vinton officer observed the stolen vehicle on Rt. 24 traveling toward Vinton and began to pursue it. Police lost Vermillion due to traffic; however, the vehicle in question was later found abandoned near the intersection of Jefferson Ave. and Chestnut St. in Vinton.
Officers from Vinton, Roanoke City, Roanoke County, Virginia State Police, and members of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force determined Vermillion was located in a private residence on Pine Street. A perimeter was formed by responding officers, and the Roanoke County Tactical Team activated.
Gun in hand, the home was surrounded by police through the night.
The Roanoke County Police Department's Tactical Team and hostage negotiators began their attempts to contact the suspect at approximately 9:10 p.m. Also assisting were special agents of the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Â The situation continued throughout the night as negotiators worked to convince Vermillion to surrender.
Police made multiple attempts to get Vermillion out of the home including using flash grenades.
Anne Dunbar lives only feet away from the home Vermillion was hiding in.
"We were scared to death," Dunbar said. "I'm speechless because this stuff happens to someone else, not two doors down from you."
Dunbar says the neighborhood is usually quiet. Thursday night she says it was frightening to see her neighborhood streets filled with police armed from riot gear.
"They were all in my yard, they were on the decks. They were in peoples apartments. They were everywhere. There were snipers under our cars. They had big guns," Dunbar said.
When the situation escalated, she said she and neighbors were evacuated from their homes.
At 8:51 a.m. on Friday, Vermillion was taken into custody by members of the Roanoke City Tactical Team, which relieved Roanoke County SWAT.
Moving forwards, the Vinton Police Department will be investigating charges related to felony attempt to elude law enforcement, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, brandishing a firearm, and other related offenses. The carjacking is being investigated the Bedford County Sheriff's Office and the vehicle crash at Beagle Club road is being investigated by the Virginia State Police.
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6 a.m. update: Just before 6 a.m. officers went inside the house. WSLS 10's Erin Brookshier heard two loud "bang" sounds and then officers started coming out of the house.
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4:30 a.m. update:
Nearly two dozen police officers are surrounding a home in Vinton.
Officers from Roanoke County, Vinton and Virginia State Police have been at the home on Pine Street since around 7 p.m. Thursday.
It is not clear why officers are surrounding the home.
Some neighboring houses have been evacuated.
This is a developing story. Â Stay with WSLS 10 and wsls.com for updates.