Police on Tuesday identified a man who barricaded himself in someone else’s Scottsdale home as 41-year-old James B. Stark III of Mesa. 

Stark on Sept. 21 was observed speeding in a school zone along Miller Road when a Scottsdale Police Department officer stopped him, according to a probable cause statement police submitted to the Maricopa County Superior Court. 

He “stopped long enough” for the officer to walk toward the car but then sped away before crashing less than a mile away near McKellips and Scottsdale roads, court documents said. 

Stark eventually entered a nearby home from an unlocked rear door and hid in a corner of the living room before being noticed by a woman inside, according to court documents. He later told police he was in the home for about 45 minutes before being discovered, the documents said. 

He then went into a bedroom of the home, where another woman had just awoken, court documents said. Stark blocked the doorway; however, he later denied “attempting to take her as a hostage or otherwise detain her,” the court documents said. 

Both women were able to flee the home and no injuries were reported, police officials previously said. 

Police negotiated with Stark for about 90 minutes, during which he repeatedly said he had a gun in his waistband and “alluded to suicide-by-cop,” according to court documents.

Stark eventually surrendered and was taken into custody, police said. 

He told police he fled because he had an unopened can of beer in the car, the court documents said. He also admitted to trying to enter several other homes in the area, including one in which a homeowner denied him entry, court documents said. 

Police also learned the car Stark drove had a stolen license place; however, Stark denied any knowledge of the plate, court documents said. An investigation into the license plate was ongoing. 

Police said Stark was remorseful and said he was only trying to see his infant son, according to court documents. 

He faces charges on suspicion of kidnapping, burglary and unlawful flight from police, according to court documents. His bond was set at $15,000.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @curtis_chels. 

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