AUGUSTA, Ga. () – A man is in jail tonight after a standoff with Richmond County Deputies.

It happened on Wylie Drive — just off Mike Padget Highway around 2-30 this afternoon. The Columbia County Sheriff’s office was looking for the suspect because of the warrants they had on him.

“Something agencies do. The cross into other jurisdictions,” said Colonel Bo Johnson, RRSO. “You know they notified us that they were going to be in the area. So, they were trying to pick him up for their warrants. Just so happened when they did find him, he was armed.”

Investigators say that the Crime Suppression Team was called in and saw 33-year-old Mason Meeks in the yard with a gun. They say he ran into his home. The SWAT Team was called and evacuated nearby homes, observers, and businesses just to be safe. Negotiators were able to get two women out of the house before Meeks surrendered.

“This incident went fairly quickly,” said Sergeant Tim Owen of the Criminal Investigations, Team Leard Crisis and Negotiation Unit, RRSO. “We probably tried about 30—45 minutes to make contact. During that time, he just chose not to make any contact. While we were trying to reassure that no one would get hurt and to come outside, the two females came out.”

Meeks was wanted on one felony warrant and five misdemeanor warrants. More charges are pending. 

“Eventually, he did come out unarmed and presented himself. He was taken into custody with no issues, and at that time, he was placed under custody, and of course, he’s being transported to the Richmond County Detention Center,” said Johnson.

We spoke to someone who lived a few houses down. He says he did not expect to walk out to something like this.

“One of the other ladies told me that that guy barricaded himself in the house,” said Michael Nelson, who lives down the street. “I’m like, wow. You know, I was just telling my friends the other day. You never know what’s going to happen with people today. You’ve got to expect the unexpected, but I didn’t expect it down here. Not with a bomb squad or anything.”

Sheriff Brantley says he is grateful to Dick Smith Auto Sales for letting those who had to evacuate stay there as a shelter until the area was safe.