SAN MATEO CO. (BCN) — A man who was involved in a five-hour standoff with San Mateo Police in February pleaded no contest Thursday to 2 counts of felony assault with a firearm on a police officer.
According to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe, Gregory Todd Yamada, 49, of San Mateo, entered a plea bargain on the condition of no state prison sentence with up to one year in county jail and a referral to the Pathways Mental Health court.
Prosecutors said on Feb. 3, the day before the standoff happened, Yamada’s wife became concerned about her husband because he was depressed and called his brother to ask him to take away Yamada’s guns.
When Yamada’s brother did so, Yamada showed up to his brother’s house to get the weapons back, brandishing a knife. His brother complied and returned the weapons, prosecutors said.
The next day, on Feb. 4, Yamada’s brother called the San Mateo police out of concern for his brother. When officers arrived at Yamada’s house, they spotted Yamada walking away from the house towards the sidewalk. Prosecutors said when officers ordered Yamada to stop he ignored the order and continued to walk away.
Yamada then suddenly turned and pointed a revolver directly at the officers, before running back into his home, prosecutors said.
A short time later, Yamada came out his garage, this time with a different gun, pointing it at an officer while displaying two other firearms. He then went back into house, according to prosecutors.
After five hours of negotiation, Yamada surrendered without incident and officers were able to recover the three loaded guns. Prosecutors noted that neither Yamada nor officers at the scene ever fired any shots.
Prosecutors said Yamada denied wanting to commit suicide at the hands of police. Yamada’s attorney, Tom Brown, said his client was grateful the situation that day didn’t escalate.
“He’s very thankful for the way police officers acted that day, the professionalism and the restraint the officers showed,” Brown said.
Yamada is set to appear in Pathways Mental Health Court on May 15 to determine if he’s eligible for mental health treatment.