A Burke County man is in jail after threatening to kill his girlfriend and barricading himself in his home Sunday night.
Deputies were called to a domestic dispute at 370 Poole Melton Rd. around 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
When they arrived, a 30-year-old woman told them that her live-in boyfriend, Chris Hicks, had choked her until she was almost unconscious. He placed a gun in her mouth and threatened to kill her.
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She espcaped the residence with several lacerations and “superficial injuries,” according to an email from Capt. Jimmy Wylds.
Hicks barricaded himself inside the residence and told deputies he had multiple firearms and night vision devices.
The Burke County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team responded around 8:45 pm.
Several team members along with a negotiator continued attempts to make contact with Hicks while other team members evacuated neighboring homes, the email said.
After midnight June 13, deputies received arrest warrants, and around 1 a.m. members of the special response team used an armored vehicle to gain entry to the residence.
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They used a small room-clearing robot because propane tanks were “placed inside the home in key areas,” the email said.
Hicks was discovered in one of the bedrooms with another propane tank and explosives.
He was taken into custody without further incident and was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the managing editor of The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
