News

Man accused in Banning barricade facing new assault charges

Published August 3, 2018 5:57 PM

A man already facing charges for allegedly threatening a woman and then holding police at bay for hours in Banning before managing to escape undetected, was charged today with additional felonies for allegedly assaulting and threatening a man and woman with a firearm less than two weeks prior
to the barricade incident.

James David Britton, 33, pleaded not guilty this afternoon to one felony count of assault with a gun and misdemeanor counts of battery and brandishing a firearm. He allegedly assaulted an unidentified man with a gun and brandishing the weapon in the presence of a woman on July 18.

Prosecutors say the incident occurred 10 days before Britton allegedly threatened a woman, then barricaded himself inside a Banning home, triggering a standoff that ended with him slipping away from the residence undetected and remaining on the run for three days.

Britton is charged with making criminal threats for allegedly threatening the unidentified woman with a gun last Saturday morning at a home in the 2200 block of West Ramsey Street. The suspect fled the home before officers arrived and when he was located a few blocks away, he ran from officers into another home in the 3900 block of West Ramsey Street, police said.

After nearly 12 hours, police entered the home and discovered Britton had escaped, though a stolen handgun was found inside.

Court documents do not specify whether he is accused of threatening the same woman in both cases.

Authorities disseminated Britton’s photograph to the public and warned that he was believed to be armed and dangerous. He was arrested Tuesday at a home on Wyte Way in Banning, where police say he had holed up with acquaintances after fleeing.