(STORY IMAGE:KHQ.COM)
SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -Deputies in Spokane Valley say a tense SWAT standoff ended peacefully Saturday. A 27-year-old man with warrants for his arrest was persuaded to surrender and taken into custody for second degree robbery charges and the active felony warrants.
Spokane Valley Deputy Glenn Hinckley responded to a call of vehicle theft reported in the area of 1520 N Argonne in Spokane Valley.
The woman told the deputy her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas J. Loverro, called her earlier, sounded upset and asked her to give him a ride.
He was acting strange when she picked him up from Northern Quest Casino so she drove straight to his residence in the 10700 block of E. Nora, but he refused to get out of the car.
She started to get scared and decided to drive to Argonne and Mission where they would be in a public place.
Once there, Loverro continued to refuse to get out. Fearing for her safety, she pulled the ignition keys and planned to run into a store, but Loverro grabbed her hand and squeezed until she dropped the keys. He pushed her out of the car as she was screaming for help, and drove away.
While she spoke with deputy Hinckly, Loverro called her several times and asked her was she was talking to the cops. He denied stealing the car. During one of the phone calls, the victim could hear Loverro was with his young daughter and knew he was at the Nora address.
Due to the severity of the incident, Loverro's history, and the safety of the child believed to be with Loverro, the SWAT team and hostage negotiators were called to the scene. Negotiator Detective Lloyd Hixon made contact with Loverro by phone and convinced him to surrender peacefully.
Loverro was booked into Spokane County Jail for second degree robbery along with his warrants. In addition to this robbery charge, he is held on unrelated charges of burglary, harassment, malicious mischief, reckless endangerment, driving while suspended and DUI.