LEWISTON, ID – The Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office today filed two felony charges against a 29-year-old Lewiston man who allegedly barricaded himself in his home following a domestic dispute with a family member in front of three children during which he reportedly fired a shot from a 9mm handgun. Dillon J. Watson was arrested Saturday night in the 3300 block of 8th Street F and booked into the Nez Perce County Jail.
Today, he was charged with Domestic Battery in the Presence of Children and Aggravated Assault with an extended sentence enhancement for use of a firearm, a press release states.
“The Prosecutor’s Office argued for a $250,000 bond because Mr. Watson has a history of domestic violence charges in the State of Washington, the seriousness of the allegation, and for the safety of the community and family. Nez Perce County Magistrate Judge Sunil Ramalingam ordered a $250,000 bond,” officials say.
The Lewiston Police Department responded to a call of a domestic dispute just after 6:00 p.m. Saturday evening. Dispatch instructed the victims to leave the residence and meet the responding officers outside. Upon arrival, they learned that Watson allegedly “got into an argument in the kitchen and living room area of the house. At one point, Mr. Watson threw a gallon of milk at the victim. The victim then said Mr. Watson slammed her head into the front door which caused her to fall to the ground. He then grabbed the back of her head and slammed her forehead into the floor. The victim then stood up, turned around and saw that Mr. Watson was about 6 feet away from her holding a handgun. The victim said that Mr. Watson was not pointing the gun directly at her but in her direction which he then fired one round,” the press release states.
A search warrant for the residence was served by the Lewiston Regional SWAT Team. SWAT was able to convince Watson to surrender and be taken into custody without any incident.
A Probable Cause Affidavit says “Detectives found a 9mm handgun on top of the refrigerator still with 7 cartridges in the magazine, one spent 9mm casing lying on the kitchen floor, a dent on the inside of the metal front door possibly from Dillon slamming Sierra’s head into it, a gallon of milk behind the couch and a small hole in the living room wall where we [recovered] a bullet.”
