Libby man forces 7-hour standoff with police

A Libby man remains in custody following a seven-hour standoff with police that ended early Friday morning at the River’s Edge Trailer Court.

Larry Mathew Hanson, 45, allegedly violated a restraining order after entering a residence in the trailer court on Montana 37 north of Libby.

A 911 phone call came in just before midnight Thursday reporting three suspicious men outside of the residence. The caller was concerned for the safety of a woman living at the home.

Lincoln County Sheriff deputies and Libby police officers responded and spoke with the three men outside the home who were also concerned for the safety of the woman. Deputies learned that Hanson was possibly inside the home and in violation of a restraining order.

Deputies made visual contact with a woman inside the home and learned that Hanson may have disguised himself in order to enter the home unnoticed.

A search warrant was obtained from Justice Court and deputies contacted Hanson, who was allegedly inside the home, by telephone.

Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe negotiated Hanson’s surrender to deputies at about 7 a.m. Friday morning.

Hanson has a history of run-ins with law enforcement.

He was arrested in early August after allegedly following an ex-girlfriend, and reportedly knocking out her car’s taillight and taking belongings from her house. He was charged with partner or family-member assault and three misdemeanors — criminal mischief, stalking and criminal trespass.

Hanson was also charged with partner or family-member assault in May and later as part of plea agreement was ordered to serve jail time and join anger management counseling.

Following last week’s incident, Hanson has been charged with felony violation of a protective order, his third offense, and is being held on a $100,000 bond at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

Lincoln County District Court Judge James Wheelis also ordered a felony bench warrant in the case with bail set at $10 million.