Suspect in hourslong SW Houston SWAT standoff arrested, accused of punching judge

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man wanted on multiple felony warrants has been arrested after barricading himself during a three hourslong standoff in southwest Houston Wednesday afternoon.

Harris County Sheriff's Office investigators identified the suspect as 60-year-old Joseph Catarineau. He was not injured during the standoff on the 5800 block of Carew Street near Beechnut and Hillcroft.

"He was lying on the floor and surrendered to us peacefully," Capt. Nathan Douglas with HCSO Homeland Security said. "He was not doing anything that we felt as a threat."

It all started at about 11 a.m. when the HCSO Violent Persons Task Force came to serve five felony warrants.

Three of those warrants are from Catarineau allegedly punching Judge Danny Lacayo, a prosecutor, and a bailiff during a hearing. The other two warrants involved fraud and finance.

For hours, SWAT team members pleaded with him to come out, even using a robot to get a telephone inside the house as neighbors huddled nearby.

"We were just hiding, just trying to not be in the line of fire. It was crazy," neighbor Cynthia Becerra said. "They kept telling him, 'We can see you.' You know, because they were using thermal imaging. They kept saying, 'You're on the floor in the kitchen.'"

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