Man in N. Augusta standoff to get mental health aid

NORTH AUGUSTA --- Police said they would offer mental health assistance to a North Augusta man who was arrested after he threatened to kill himself and North Augusta Public Safety Chief John Thomas during a standoff Tuesday that closed Womrath Court and portions of Thurmond Way for about six hours.

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Rainier Ehrhardt/Staff

Aiken County SWAT team members make their way back to their armored vehicle near a home in which a man was threatening to kill himself and any officers who attempted to enter.

"He has some emotional issues that we recognize, and we'll be making sure while he's incarcerated that he's afforded the opportunity to get some mental health assistance," public safety Lt. Tim Pearson said.

At 9:03 a.m. Tuesday, officers were notified that Jeffrey Allen Burlage, 50, of Womrath Court, had threatened to kill any officers who came to his home, Lt. Pearson said.

Officers found Mr. Burlage barricaded in his home. During negotiations over the phone, he threatened to kill Chief Thomas, and officers were able to get a warrant against him for threatening a public official, Lt. Pearson said.

The Aiken County Sheriff's Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division assisted in the standoff.

At 3:15 p.m., Mr. Burlage surrendered to authorities as SWAT members started to approach the home, Lt. Pearson said.

"One thing that was on our side was time. Very methodically we went through all of the avenues," Lt. Pearson said. "We had an obligation to the safety of the neighborhood, to the individual and certainly to our officers, so we weren't going to rush in until we had done everything we could to make sure we could resolve things peacefully."

Mr. Burlage was taken to the Aiken County Detention Center late Tuesday afternoon, Lt. Pearson said.

Staff Writers Lisa Kaylor and Adam Folk contributed to this report.

Reach Jonathan Overstreet at (706) 823-3708 or jonathan.overstreet@augustachronicle.com.