Standoff ends with S. Tahoe woman going to jail

A South Lake Tahoe woman who was holed up in a neighbor’s apartment where she had access to a rifle and ammunition was eventually arrested this morning without anyone but her boyfriend being hurt.

Kimberly Ann Leard, 33, was arrested July 25 on felony charges of domestic violence and a misdemeanor charge of resisting, delaying and obstructing police in the performance of their duty.

The incident at the St. Francis Apartments on Emerald Bay Road started about 1:30am with officers called to a unit because a woman was screaming. The argument turned into a physical altercation.

Leard’s 37-year-old boyfriend was bleeding from the head, hand and foot when officers arrived. He refused medical treatment.

To avoid the police, Leard went onto the third story balcony, climbed onto the neighbor’s balcony and entered that apartment. The neighbor was in the bathroom when Leard came into his apartment. He fled and Leard retreated into her neighbor’s bedroom.

The neighbor told officers he keeps a .30-caliber lever action rifle stored in his bedroom in plain view, with ammo right next to it.

“Officers strongly suggested residents in neighboring units leave until the matter was concluded because of the potential for rifle bullets to penetrate walls,” Lt. Brian Williams told Lake Tahoe News.

The officers tried to talk Leard into surrendering, but she refused. Officers entered the apartment about 2:40am, where they found Leard hiding in the bedroom closet.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report