Ashland man arraigned for actions in standoff

Text Size: A | A | A

Print this Article Email this Article

Loading...

November 19, 2009

By Sanne Specht

Mail Tribune

A man who barricaded himself inside his Ashland home earlier this month was arraigned Tuesday afternoon in Jackson County Circuit Court on attempted aggravated murder charges for allegedly firing a rifle at two Ashland police officers.

In addition to the Measure 11 murder charges, Benjamin Kwiatkowski, 27, is also facing two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, a second-degree assault charge and a single charge each of possession, manufacturing and delivery of marijuana.

Kwiatkowski entered not guilty pleas to all charges before Judge Tim Barnack.

He has requested a court-appointed attorney. Kwiatkowski remains in jail on $1 million bail. A pretrial hearing has been set for 1:30 p.m. Nov. 30.

Kwiatkowski surrendered to police at about 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 4 after a standoff that lasted more than eight hours and involved Ashland, Talent and Phoenix police officers and the Medford police SWAT team.

Police said Kwiatkowski fired a rifle at two officers as they knocked on his door at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The house, located in the 600 block of South Mountain Avenue, is less than a block from Southern Oregon University.

The officers were not injured. They were responding to a 9-1-1 call received at 5:15 a.m. about a fight at the house.

When the officers knocked on the back door of the basement of the house, Kwiatkowski fired a shot through the wall, about a foot above the officers' heads, according to police.

The three officers on scene called for backup and nearby residents voluntarily evacuated their homes.

Kwiatkowski eventually surrendered and was arrested without further incident.

Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail sspecht@mailtribune.com.

Print this Article Email this Article