An Edmonds man who allegedly caused a standoff at an Everett hospital after locking his handcuffed wife in the trunk of a car was charged Wednesday with first-degree kidnapping in Snohomish County Superior Court.
Jamison Ross Ellis, 30, was scheduled to appear in court today.
Police arrested Ellis early Friday after holding officers at bay for nearly four hours in a parking lot near the emergency room of Providence Everett Medical Center’s Colby Campus.
Officers used rubber bullets to end the standoff after a man continuously put a gun to his head and threatened to kill himself, according to court papers.
In the hours preceding the standoff, Ellis assaulted his estranged wife, handcuffed and gagged her, put her in the trunk of a car and threatened to kill himself in front of her, deputy prosecutor Bridget Casey said.
The woman had moved out of the house earlier in January, but returned Jan. 12 thinking that her estranged husband was out of town. However, she found him in an upstairs bathroom with a gun, Casey said.
The woman telephoned Ellis’ mother, but he unplugged the phone. Then he put the handcuffs on her with her arms behind her back, stuffed a shirt in her mouth and held the shirt in place with duct tape, Casey said.
He carried her to a Volkswagen Jetta in the garage, put her in the trunk and drove around for about an hour, Casey said. At one point, he attempted to have sex with her, Casey added.
He later released her, but continued to say he wanted to kill himself, Casey said. The woman found another key to the Jetta and drove off, Casey said. She was at the hospital when the standoff started.
Ellis told police he went to the hospital and put a gun to his head because he wanted to make sure his wife knew he was dead, Casey said.
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