Failed fumbler fears fleeing

ROLLINS – It appears alleged burglar Cole J. Johnson was more afraid of the neighbor holding a loaded gun on him than he was of the four cops who showed up to arrest him.

Under the barrel of his neighbor, Johnson, 20, of Lake County, remained still, caught in the act of burglarizing a Rollins-area home in North County. But when the police arrived, Lake County Undersheriff Dan Yonkin said Johnson tried to run.

The incident started about 10 p.m., Oct. 9, when a woman called 9-1-1 to report that her husband and two sons went to her neighbor’s house with a loaded gun, interrupted an attempted burglary and were holding the suspect at gunpoint.

While three Lake County Sheriff’s deputies and a Montana Highway Patrol trooper responded to the scene, another neighbor called dispatch to report they heard gunfire. The first 911 caller suspected Johnson was highly intoxicated, according to the call.

Johnson hid in a dark place inside the house where the gun-toting neighbor could not see him, emergency dispatchers said. But the gun-toting neighbor already saw the broken window and knew he was hiding.

“Don’t move or I’ll shoot,” the neighbor said. According to Yonkin, the gun-holding neighbor was just trying to scare the failed burglar, shot a warning into the air and held him at gunpoint until cops arrived.

When officers arrived on scene they noted that Johnson was “very drunk,” and had an active warrant out for his arrest and he tried to flee when taken into custody, Yonkin said.

Johnson was cited for attempted burglary and felony criminal mischief and taken to CSKT Tribal Jail.