Brent Price Pickard

DALTON - A 45-year-old man has been charged with simple assault in connection with an incident on April 22 that led to a four-hour standoff with Dalton police at the man's office at Eligère Carpet and Rugs facility on Hamilton Street, according to a news release.

Police charged Brent Price Pickard of 1426 Williams St. He was booked into the Whitfield County Jail on Monday.

Authorities said Pickard got into an argument with a woman outside of the building, according to the news release. He used a rifle to intimidate her, putting it on the back of his truck but apparently not aiming it at her. He also threw a cup of tea at her, authorities said.

Pickard, who police said was intoxicated, then went inside of the building leaving the rifle in his truck. The woman ran into a neighboring business at the scene and told a man that Pickard had gone into the Eligère building with a gun, the release said.

That man called 911 and reported the incident to police, who formed a perimeter around the building and determined that all employees other than Pickard were safely outside.

After a four-hour period of negotiation with Dalton investigators, Pickard eventually agreed to leave the facility and go to Hamilton Medical Center for evaluation, the release stated.