Paso Robles man aims gun at CHP helicopter during standoff

October 1, 2021

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

A man pointed a rifle at a CHP helicopter during a standoff with authorities in rural Paso Robles on Thursday that was preceded by the suspect allegedly firing shots outside his home.

The man’s wife called 911 at about 10:15 a.m. and said her husband had made threats against her and had fired a weapon outside their home in the 100 block of Grace Drive in Whitley Gardens. The woman was hiding in a trailer on the property while her husband roamed the vicinity, according to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.

When sheriff’s deputies arrived at the scene, 55-year-old Darren Lowry retreated back inside the home. A standoff ensued, and at one point, Lowry came outside the home and pointed his rifle at a CHP helicopter that was assisting deputies overhead.

Authorities sent a reverse 911 text to residents in the immediate area, instructing them to shelter in place. Deputies established a perimeter around the property.

CHP officers, along with additional deputies, arrived at the scene. The Sheriff’s Tactical Negotiation Team managed to make contact with Lowry, who exited the home shortly before noon and was taken into custody.

Deputies arrested Lowry for assault with a deadly weapon involving a firearm and making criminal threats and booked him in the SLO County Jail.