13-hour standoff ends peacefully

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

A 13-hour standoff between police and a 63-year-old woman who barricaded herself in her Morganton home ended peacefully early Thursday morning, authorities said.

Irene Barlow was charged Thursday with resisting, delaying and obstructing law enforcement after undergoing a mental health evaluation, said Capt. Trent Devinney of the Morganton Department Public Safety.

Police said Barlow called the Public Safety Department Wednesday afternoon and asked them to remove her son's car from her yard.

But when authorities arrived at about 11:30 a.m., said Chief Mark Tolbert, Barlow said she was ready to douse the car in gasoline and set it on fire. She retreated to her house, Tolbert said, with a handgun and bullets and began threatening officers.

Numerous officers were involved in the standoff, surrounding the home and blocking off streets entering the Carbon City Road neighborhood, Tolbert said.

At about 12:30 a.m. Thursday, police were able to convince Barlow to come out of the home and surrender to officers, Devinney said.

She was released from the Burke-Catawba jail on a $500 secured bond, authorities said.


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