A Riverton man who prompted an 11-hour standoff with police after barricading himself in his home and reportedly producing a weapon was wanted for arrest because he skipped court on a day when he was supposed to receive a probation sentence in a felony threatening case.
Ronald “Ron” Allington, 62, was the lone barricaded suspect at 1214 Pinecrest in Riverton on Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning.
Officers and deputies from numerous agencies surrounded the home with rifles and shields in hand. An armored vehicle from Natrona County remained in front of the home for several hours. The Riverton Volunteer Fire Department and emergency medical personnel remained on scene throughout the standoff as well.
Around 25 spectators gathered in the evening hours, though that dwindled after midnight. The back of the home was ripped open in an attempt to extricate the man.
At about 4 a.m., police deployed tear gas, then arrested Allington, who was reportedly armed with a knife and gun..
No one was shot.
But First, The Threatening Case
Allington was charged July 12, 2024, with the felony of making terroristic threats, which is punishable by up to three years in prison and fines.
Allington had threatened to shoot up Riverton’s hospital, SageWest Health Care, while fleeing his own hospital stay earlier that day, court documents say. He indicated someone would be leaving the facility “in a body bag,” one nurse told police, according to the file.
Allington pleaded “no contest” to the threatening charge last August after signing a plea agreement with then-Fremont County Attorney Patrick LeBrun. The agreement said that in exchange for Allington’s “no contest” plea, he would receive two years’ supervised probation with the threat of 12-18 months in prison if he failed probation.
In a simultaneous case charging misdemeanor-level marijuana possession, Allington agreed to plead guilty and receive one year of probation. The judge on that case ultimately would not enter Allington’s conviction if he succeeded on probation, a mechanism known as “deferral.”
The plea agreement had a provision giving Allington the chance to get out of jail on an unsecured bond - meaning he wouldn't have to post any money up front to secure his freedom during the remainder of the case.
Then-Fremont County Public Defender Supervisor Jon Gerard conceded that the bond provision was a benefit. But it was also against Gerard’s advice for Allington to take the deal, the attorney said at an Aug. 8 court hearing in Fremont County District Court.
That’s because Gerard believed that Allington could be found not guilty by reason of mental illness on the felony, due to medication he received at the hospital altering his state of mind ahead of the crime, says a transcript of Allington’s arraignment hearing.
“However, he’s elected not to go that route and just to enter a no-contest plea pursuant to the plea agreement,” said Gerard. “He has made the decision, and I believe it’s intelligent.”
Allington had the right to disregard Gerard's advice in choosing his plea, District Court Judge Jason Conder noted.
Allington said he understood Gerard’s advice and disregarded it willingly; and that he was satisfied with Gerard’s representation of him.
LeBrun said he was comfortable with the unsecured bond arrangement because Allington was also under probation terms and monitoring on the marijuana case.
Riverton and Lander police officers and Fremont County Sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday surrounded a Riverton home with their rifles out in an apparent standoff with a barricaded man. (Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily) 
An armored vehicle points at the house. (Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily) 
(Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily) 
A sniper set up in the bed of a Fremont County Sheriff's Office truck. (Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily) 
Deputies retrieve something from a set of boxes on the road before walking to the back of the house at the scene of a standoff with a man barricaded inside Tuesday night, April 16, 2025. (Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily) 
Riverton Police chief Eric Hurtado speaks with a group of firefighters at the scene of a standoff with a man barricaded in a house Tuesday night, April 16, 2025. (Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily)
Just Show Up
Allington’s next step was to show up for a Nov. 14 sentencing hearing in the district court, where - unless the judge rejected the plea agreement - he was set to be convicted of the felony and be released to two years’ probation.
He did not show, court documents say.
LeBrun asked the court for a warrant for Allington’s arrest on Nov. 19, and the judge granted that request.
The failure to show also triggered a provision in the plea agreement whereby a prosecutor can now disregard the agreement and pursue the full three-year prison sentence against Allington if he wishes.
Here Comes Another Warrant
Allington also failed his terms of probation in the marijuana case, according to an April 8 petition by Fremont County Deputy Attorney Jane Juve.
Juve wrote that Allington hadn’t checked in with his probation agent since Oct. 17, 2024.
Circuit Court Judge Jefferson Coombs last week issued the second warrant for Allington’s arrest.
Allington’s mother, who was able to get out of the home at the start of Wednesday’s standoff, could not be reached for comment Thursday via her listed phone number.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
