Tense Standoff Ends in Peaceful Arrests; Charges Dropped for Domestic Assault

A high-stakes standoff Tuesday night in Douglas County concluded without violence, leading to the arrest of a man and woman—both of whom sustained injuries allegedly inflicted by the other. However, by Tuesday afternoon, both individuals had been released from the Douglas County Jail with minimal conditions.

Law Enforcement Response to Domestic Violence Report

Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a residence in the 200 block of River Place Drive after reports of domestic violence. Garrett Dean Rowland, 38, of Roseburg, allegedly pointed a shotgun at a responding deputy before retreating into his home. No shots were fired, but the situation escalated, prompting additional deputies from as far as the Riddle substation, as well as officers from Winston and Roseburg, to assist.

Initial Incident and Escalation

The incident began at approximately 5:49 p.m. when two deputies responded to a report of domestic assault. They found a woman, who reportedly resides with Rowland, several blocks from their home with visible facial injuries. Based on her account and the nature of her injuries, deputies proceeded to the residence and attempted to convince Rowland to exit for 20 minutes.

When he finally emerged, Rowland allegedly pumped the slide of a shotgun as if loading a round and then pointed the weapon at a deputy. The deputies ordered him to drop the firearm, but he instead fled back inside the residence, refusing to comply. At that point, Douglas County Emergency Communications attempted to mediate contact between Rowland and law enforcement. Court documents have not yet disclosed the content or success of these communications. Meanwhile, troopers from the Oregon State Police were en route to the scene.

Arrest and Investigation

Eventually, Rowland exited through a back door and was immediately taken into custody. Upon arrest, deputies observed injuries to the right side of his face, consistent with his claim that the woman threw boiling water on him. Rowland admitted to striking the woman, reportedly in response to the scalding attack.

After re-interviewing the woman, deputies found inconsistencies in her story. She stated she acted in self-defense, but her account reportedly shifted during questioning. As a result, both individuals were arrested for assaulting one another.

Charges and Court Proceedings

Rowland was booked on charges of fourth-degree assault and menacing, while the woman was detained solely for fourth-degree assault. However, jail records confirm she was released Tuesday morning after the District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against her.

Despite the possibility of the assault charges being elevated to felonies due to the presence of at least one minor child during the altercation, all initial assault charges were eventually dropped. However, the District Attorney’s Office replaced Rowland’s assault charge with a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon, alongside the original menacing charge.

At Rowland’s arraignment Tuesday afternoon, he was deemed ineligible for court-appointed counsel and signed a pretrial no-contact order, barring communication with the alleged victim should he post bail. However, the absence of an assault charge complicated proceedings.

Appearing via video from the jail, Rowland stated he would represent himself, though a public defender was present for the hearing. The defense noted that unlawful use of a weapon is a low-level felony, while the prosecution emphasized that Rowland had pointed a firearm at a deputy. The prosecution requested the court enforce a no-contact order, but Judge Jason Thomas ruled that since there was no longer an assault charge, the order would not stand.

Judge Thomas also stated, “I see some issues with the case” after reviewing the probable cause affidavit. Consequently, Rowland was ordered to be conditionally released.

Current Status and Next Steps

Following his release, Rowland was required to report to court offices. As of now, no additional hearings have been scheduled regarding the case. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that the couple’s children are safe and that a coordinated safety plan has been established with the state Department of Human Services.