Wild standoff ends in arrest of boat holdout

A Richardson Bay mariner accused of attacking authorities was arrested after a four-hour standoff, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said.

Paul Ray Smith Jr., 53, was booked into Marin County Jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on officers, assault with a firearm, obstructing officers and cruelty to an animal.

Smith remained in custody Monday in lieu of $305,000 bail.

The standoff happened Friday after authorities notified Smith about warrants for his arrest for two prior incidents, Marin County sheriff’s Sgt. Brenton Schneider said.

The first incident happened on March 18 while Curtis Havel, the Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency harbormaster, was towing a boat to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers yard. Smith allegedly followed Havel and fired a flare gun in his direction. The flare missed.

The second incident happened on March 23 when deputies went to Smith’s boat to interview him about the flare gun allegation. Smith became argumentative, retreated to the cabin of his boat and returned with a pistol, Schneider said.

When deputies ordered him to drop his gun, Smith went back to the cabin and allegedly pointed the pistol out the window at the deputies and their patrol boat.

The deputies left and started surveillance on Smith to contact him when he went to shore, Schneider said. Smith did not go, and deputies obtained search and arrest warrants.

When negotiators contacted Smith on Friday, Smith said he had a bulletproof vest and refused to surrender. The standoff ensued.

Deputies attempted to enter the boat through the hatch, setting off a booby trap that created a small explosion, Schneider said. Deputies also discovered a long sword-like weapon at the bottom of the hatch set up to impale intruders, Schneider said.

Authorities used flash grenades, tear gas and pepper spray to distract Smith. Deputies also fired five bean bag rounds, three of which struck the suspect. Smith allegedly attempted to stab deputies with a spear-like device that had two metal spikes affixed to a pole.

Deputies towed Smith’s boat to the Clipper Yacht Harbor, subdued Smith with a Taser and arrested him.

The boat caught fire and a dog on board died. The cause of the fire is unknown, but Smith told the owner of the vessel that he was going to pile up flammable items to light on fire, Schneider said.

Havel declined to comment due to the pending investigation.

Mill Valley Councilman Jim Wickham, a board

member for the Richardson Bay agency, declined to comment, deferring questions to the sheriff’s office.

The conflict was the third arrest in recent weeks as authorities con

tinue their campaign to remove derelict boats and marine debris from Richardson Bay. On March 23, a mariner was arrested on allegations he tried to block harbor authorities

from seizing a boat. On March 25, an activist was arrested on a houseboat that was illegally taken from the debris yard after being removed from the bay, police said.