Spring Valley Man with PTSD Engages Sheriff's in Bizarre Standoff

A Spring Valley man with post-traumatic stress disorder was taken into custody at his home early Tuesday following a standoff of about two hours with sheriff's deputies during which he threw bullets and other items into a lit barbecue grill in his backyard, authorities said.

Deputies were called to the residence in the 3000 block of Central Avenue at 11:12 p.m. Monday, according to San Diego County sheriff's Sgt. Luis Chavez.

The man's wife called from a neighbor's house, saying her husband suffers from PTSD and was throwing items into a swimming pool, Chavez said in a statement. The man was identified as 25-year-old Luis Macias.

On an earlier occasion, deputies confiscated a shotgun from Macias and took him into custody for a mental evaluation, the sergeant said.

Arriving deputies saw Macias throw bullets into a large fire in a barbecue in the backyard Monday night and backed off for safety reasons, Chavez said.

"The barbecue was only a few feet from the house. The fire caused the bullets to explode," Chavez said.

Using a patrol car's public address system, deputies ordered Macias to come out of the house, but he refused, although he returned to the backyard to throw more items into the fire, Chavez said.

Concerned for Macias' and his neighbors' safety, deputies approached from the rear of the house and took Macias into custody without further incident, Chavez said, adding that no one was injured.

Macias was taken into custody about 1:30 a.m., sheriff's Lt. J.T. Faulkner said.

Macias was admitted to Sharp Grossmont Hospital for a 72-hour mental health evaluation. The source of his PTSD was not immediately reported.

–City News Service