Neighbors say a SWAT standoff in Spring that ended in a house fire could have been prevented if someone responded to their 911 call earlier in the week.
Video from the dramatic standoff captured the suspect, 28-year-old Pablo Patino, climbing out of the burning home on Thursday afternoon.
The standoff started after deputies were helping Patino’s estranged wife gather her belongings from the home.
Before his wife went into the home, deputies searched around for Patino and found him in a room. They said he told them he had a gun. That’s when the chaos erupted.
Authorities had been searching for Patino since Tuesday, after he was accused of torching another home, about 17 miles southwest of the Spring scene, where his estranged wife had been staying with her 11-year-old daughter and her parents.
After Patino’s wife escaped, she said she tried to confront Patino, and that is when officials say he hit her with his car and took off. She suffered minor injuries. Patino was charged with arson of habitation, violation of a protection order and aggravated assault after the Tuesday incident.
Neighbors told reporters they heard glass breaking and loud noises coming from the home in the 3200 block of Lotus Blossom Street 48 hours before it was set ablaze — the same day of the north Harris County fire. So, they called 911.
One of the neighbors showed reporters a record of the 911 call on her phone. Neighbors said they never saw law enforcement arrive.
“In my mind, it came straight to me. We called the cops just two nights ago. Did they ever come to the house? Now, what’s going on at the house? All of this could’ve been prevented if the cops came that night,” neighbor Harrison Woods said.
The Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office claims it has no record of the call from neighbors.
The house on Lotus Blossom is considered a total loss. Thankfully, the fire did not impact neighboring homes.
After his arrest, Patino was taken to the hospital to check for any injuries. At last check, he was still hospitalized.
Patino’s wife had been staying with her parents because she called the police on her husband on Christmas. Pct. 4 confirmed they arrested Patino for assault, and he was scheduled to appear in court the same day of the first fire.