Snow shoveling dispute in New Castle County leads to SWAT standoff, arrest

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A dispute over snow shoveling and parking space escalated into an assault and hourslong standoff in New Castle County this week, according to police.

Officers responded to reports of an assault in the 200 block of White Plains Court in the Concord Trace townhouses community near Bear. A 57-year-old man told police a man forced his way into the home and assaulted him and a 49-year-old male acquaintance.

Police said that 33-year-old Ras Loyd, of Bear, assaulted the two men, knocking one unconscious, and threatened them with a firearm. Both men were taken to a local hospital and later released, police said. Police were unable to locate Loyd that night.

On Thursday, New Castle County Police returned to Loyd’s residence to serve outstanding arrest warrants. While other occupants exited the home safely, police said that Loyd refused to surrender, prompting officers to activate crisis negotiators, SWAT and drone teams.

Due to safety concerns and the connected townhome layout, neighboring residents were evacuated and transported to the Bear LIbrary for temporary shelter, police said.. Multiple agencies responded to assist including the Delaware State Police, Wilmington Police, Delmarva Power, Delaware Animal Services and county emergency management teams.

After a prolonged standoff, police said that SWAT officers entered the residence and discovered Loyd had fled through the attic into a neighboring vacant townhome. A police K-9 later located him hiding in a second-floor bedroom, where he allegedly resisted arrest before he was taken into custody, according to police. He was treated at a local hospital before being released into police custody.

Loyd faces multiple charges, including first-degree assault, possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, first-degree burglary, aggravated menacing, resisting arrest and criminal mischief. He’s being held at Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on $106,000 cash bail.