Bryan police end standoff with arrest of rape suspect

11/8/2006

BRYAN - A Napoleon man accused of rape was removed forcefully from an upstairs bedroom in his grandmother's house after a four-hour standoff Monday night with Bryan police officers, authorities said.

Larry Coulon, 30, who was charged with rape and had a video arraignment yesterday in Bryan Municipal Court before Judge Kent North, was ordered held in the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio, Stryker, in lieu of $300,000 bond.

Mr. Coulon entered the home of a female acquaintance just before 9 a.m. Monday and raped her at gunpoint, Bryan police Chief Jeff Arnold said.

The chief said Mr. Coulon then forced her to drive him to the Colonial Manor Motel in Bryan. The woman freed herself from the car and began to scream in the motel parking lot, Chief Arnold said.

Mr. Coulon fled and wound up at his grandmother's home, the chief said. Another family member discovered him and called Bryan police about 5 p.m., Chief Arnold said.

The chief and two of his officers engaged in hours of unsuccessful telephone negotiations with Mr. Coulon, who had informed them that he barricaded himself in a bedroom and was not going to leave.

The chief said he then conferred with Putnam County Sheriff James Beutler and requested assistance from the sheriff's special response team.

The response team entered the home just after 9 p.m. and used flash grenades upon entering the bedroom. Authorities said the devices disoriented the suspect, who had a handgun. Mr. Coulon was arrested without injury, authorities said.

"The No. 1 thing is the safety of the surrounding community, the safety of the officers, and the safety of the suspect," Chief Arnold said.

"We knew he most likely had a weapon and we tried to exhaust all attempts at negotiating, but at some point you have to make the decision to go get him," the chief said.

Sheriff Beutler said one of the flash grenades landed on a set of box springs on the floor and started a small fire. The Bryan Fire Department assisted with extinguishing the flames and clearing the house of smoke.

Mr. Coulon also is accused of stealing his mother's Ford Explorer, which Chief Arnold said was recovered Monday at the VFW hall in Bryan.

The chief said additional charges could be filed once the Williams County prosecutor's office completes its review of the case.