NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – A man was arrested Saturday after he assaulted a man and woman at a residence in Hicksville and then barricaded himself and the female victim inside the home, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
At 10:20 a.m. on Saturday John Howell, 40, allegedly assaulted a 44-year-old man and 56-year-old woman in a home on Ohio Street. Police said there was no forced entry.
The male victim managed to escape and call the police, alerting them of the situation.
When police arrived on the scene, they were informed that Howell allegedly assaulted the victims, threatened them with a knife and then locked himself inside the home.
Howell refused to let officers into the building, and he would not let the woman leave the building, police said.
The Nassau County Police Hostage Negotiation Team spoke with the female victim over the phone and coached her through an escape.
She was removed from the residence and refused medical attention. The male victim required medical attention from a local hospital, police said.
The Bureau of Special Operations made it into the house, found the defendant hiding in the attic and were able to get him into custody.
Howell was taken to a local hospital and evaluated before being released to police.
The defendant is charged with two counts of assault, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of menacing and unlawful imprisonment.
Howell will be arraigned Sunday in Hempstead.