South Lake Tahoe, CA (July 25, 2013) – On Thursday, July 25, 2013, at about 1:30 a.m., South Lake Tahoe Police Officers were dispatched to reports of a screaming woman at a multi-story apartment complex on SR. 89. Upon arrival they contacted 37-year-old Matthew Hamilton who was bleeding from the head, hand and foot. Hamilton related that he and his girlfriend, 33-year-old Kimberly Ann Leard, had been drinking alcohol in his apartment and began arguing. The argument turned violent when Leard began physically attacking him, which caused his bleeding injuries. Hamilton refused medical treatment.

At one point during the attack Leard learned that the police had been called to the scene. In order to avoid the police, Leard reacted by going out to the rear, third story balcony, and climbed over it. Leard climbed onto the neighbor’s balcony, opened the rear door of the neighboring apartment and made entry.

The neighbor happened to be in the bathroom when Leard came into his apartment uninvited. The neighbor had heard Leard screaming next door, but when he walked out of his bathroom he found her standing in his living room. As police officers were arriving, the neighbor fled his own apartment as Leard retreated into his bedroom. This neighbor told investigating officers he kept a .30/.30 caliber lever action rifle stored in his bedroom in plain view. Next to the rifle was ammunition.

The officers tried to talk Leard into coming out of the apartment, but she refused and barricaded herself in the bedroom. After several unsuccessful attempts by a department hostage negotiator to talk Leard into giving up, the officers made entry into the apartment. At about 2:40 a.m., they located Leard hiding in the bedroom closet. She was arrested without further incident. The rifle and ammunition were recovered and returned to the neighbor.

Kimberly Leard was booked at the El Dorado County Jail in South Lake Tahoe on charges of felony domestic violence and misdemeanor resisting/delaying/ and obstructing police in the performance of their duty.