BETHALTO – After a Bethalto Police Department investigation on December 6, Michael Leo Stilts, 55, of the 500 block of Longfellow Street, Bethalto, was charged today, Wednesday, Dec. 7, with one count of Aggravated Assault and one count of Obstructing a Peace Officer.

Both charges are Class A Misdemeanors, Bethalto Police said. Stilts was subsequently released after posting a cash bond, said police.

At 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, Bethalto Police Department officers responded to the 500 block of Longfellow Street. The complaining resident there had called 911 requesting assistance, Bethalto Police said in a release. The resident alleged that a neighbor had threatened him with a firearm while the two were engaged in a verbal dispute, the police said.

Upon arrival of the Bethalto Police, the suspect locked himself in his home and would not respond. Contact was made, and after approximately 90 minutes of negotiation, the suspect exited his home unarmed and was taken into custody. The investigation is ongoing, police said.

There were no reported injuries at the time of this release. The investigation thus far has found that only the complainant and suspect were involved in the dispute, police said.

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