Cache County man arrested after standoff in Idaho

LAVA HOT SPRINGS, Idaho — Idaho officials took a Utah man into custody Wednesday following an hours-long standoff.

Jason Wiberg, 43, and his brother, Jared Wiberg, were both arrested around 2:30 a.m. at Jared Wiberg's home in Lava Hot Springs, Bannock County Sheriff Lorin Nielsen said. Idaho officials were contacted by those in Utah around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"They said they had a fugitive that was on the run — that he had assaulted some family members and put them in the hospital," Nielsen said. "(There was) a high speed chase."

Nielsen was told that Jason Wiberg had a brother in Lava, which prompted the sheriff to go to the home.

"The conversation got to where (officers) were suspicious," Nielsen said. "One of the officers saw Jason on a balcony in the back. ... The brother, Jared, said that he would rather see his brother die with a bullet in his head than go back to prison."

Additional officers were called and attempted negotiations until 2:30 a.m. Jason Wiberg eventually came out of the home, yelled obscenities at the officers, refused to raise his hands and told them to "Go ahead and shoot me," the sheriff said.

After a Taser was deployed, the man was taken into custody and agreed to waive extradition to Utah. Officers arrested his brother for investigation of obstruction of justice and harboring a fugitive.

Nielsen said Jason Wiberg had spent time in federal prison for armed robbery and is on probation. Utah court records show his last address as being in Nibley, Cache County, and shows a history of felony charges including distribution of a controlled substance, aggravated robbery and theft dating back to 2001.

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