Standoff in Hardin Ends Peacefully

HARDIN, October 8, 2008 - An 8-½ hour standoff ended Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m., on C.R. 2096 in the Hardin area. The incident began Tuesday evening, just after 10:00 p.m., when Liberty County Sheriff’s investigators and Task Force officers attempted to serve felony warrants on two subjects staying in a travel trailer. The investigators knocked on the door and tried to initiate contact with Josh Young, 27 of Liberty, and Stephanie Moye, 21 of Dayton. Young was wanted on a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and a parole violation “blue warrant”. Moye was wanted on a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Shots were fired from inside the travel trailer, so investigators backed off to safe distance and established a perimeter. The Baytown Police Department’s S.W.A.T team was called for assistance. Officials tried to make contact with the people in the trailer by telephone and bullhorn, but to no avail. Throughout the night, shots would ring out periodically from the trailer, with one shotgun slug striking a patrol car. Additional personnel arrived on the scene to assist, including the Texas Rangers, the Liberty County District Attorney’s Office, Liberty County E.M.S., Hardin V.F.D., and a D.P.S. helicopter.

Stephanie Moye	Josh Young

After hours of unsuccessful contact, officers fired canisters of non-flammable tear gas into the trailer. The standoff ended shortly afterwards when Josh Young, Stephanie Moye, and a third person, Brett Edwards, 22 of Liberty, came out of the trailer. The three were taken into custody without further incident and transported to the Sheriff’s Office in Liberty. There were no reported injuries to officers or the trailer’s occupants.

Sheriff Greg Arthur said, “It was a tense situation, but all of the personnel on the scene did an outstanding job. The Baytown S.W.A.T. Team’s assistance was crucial in the successful conclusion of the standoff.”

Sheriff Arthur added, “Josh Young and Stephanie Moye will be held in the jail on the warrants, with additional charges pending related to the incident. After questioning, Brett Edwards was released from custody”.

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