A Vancouver man who allegedly ran naked with a knife through Vancouver’s Ogden neighborhood, prompting a two-hour police standoff Sunday afternoon, made a first appearance Monday in Clark County Superior Court.
Andrew Helmsworth, 26, appeared wearing a suicide-prevention smock, which is given to prisoners who may try to harm themselves with their clothing. He faces an allegation of second-degree assault-domestic violence in connection with Sunday’s incident.
When asked by the prosecution if Andrew Helmsworth is his true name, he replied, “That is my given name, but I feel it doesn’t apply to me today.”
Vancouver police were dispatched about 3:40 p.m. to a disturbance at a home on Northeast 36th Circle after a 911 caller said his son had tried to stab him, according to radio traffic monitored at The Columbian.
A naked man, later identified as Helmsworth, ran outside with a 4-inch knife and was observed chasing his father, according to court records.
By the time police arrived, Helmsworth had allegedly barricaded himself alone inside the house and refused to surrender.
Vancouver police, SWAT officers, a K-9 unit and hostage negotiators were called to the scene.
A neighbor captured a portion of the standoff with a cellphone. Footage showed Helmsworth emerging from the house with a banjo and playing for police. He was subsequently shot with a nonlethal round and taken into custody about 5:45 p.m.
Nobody was injured during the incident, police said.
During his hearing, Judge Scott Collier said Helmsworth does not qualify for a court-appointed attorney. Helmsworth said he had been employed with a company where he worked on computer software. He said he is unsure if he will still have his job but plans to hire his own attorney.
Helmsworth said that he suffers from mental illness. His wife also notified the prosecution of his history of mental illness and reportedly said he needs to be hospitalized, Deputy Prosecutor Jessica Barrar said. Helmsworth doesn’t have prior criminal history, she added.
“I lost my temper yesterday,” Helmsworth said before Collier advised him not to talk about the incident.
Collier set bail at $30,000 and ordered Helmsworth not have contact with his father.
He is scheduled to be arraigned Friday.
