Man charged with aiding offender

Published 10:43 am Friday, May 20, 2016

Austin Police and Sheriff’s Department deputies talk outside of a home on 10th Street Northeast in April.  Herald file photo

Austin Police and Sheriff’s Department deputies talk outside of a home on 10th Street Northeast in April.
Herald file photo

An Austin man is accused of aiding an offender who caused police to barricade two Austin streets during searches earlier this spring.

Andrew Lynn Gulbrandson, 30, was charged Thursday in Mower County court with felony aiding an offender after his truck was found on the 200 block of 12th Avenue Southwest, where Tom Heuangsayaseng was eventually arrested.

Heuangsayaseng had multiple felony warrants and allegedly assaulted a woman the day before he was arrested and charged with felony domestic assault, third-degree assault and gross misdemeanor theft.

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At about 7:40 p.m. on April 1, officers were searching for Heuangsayaseng and saw a grey Chevy Silverado pull in the driveway and a man wearing a grey-hooded sweatshirt with the hood up walk in the house, according to court records.

The truck was determined to belong to Gulbrandson, and law enforcement believed he may be assisting Heuangsayaseng.

About 15 minutes later, a white Chrysler Pacifica pulled up to the residence, and the driver told police he’d heard Gulbrandson was hiding someone in the house and that’s why he was there. He entered the house and came out a few minutes later and told police Heuangsayseng was in the home.

Officers secured the house and Gulbrandson and a woman came out of the house. They were both advised of the numerous felony warrants and said Heuangsayaseng was not in the house.

Police spoke with Gulbrandson and asked about his truck. He said he arrived at the house about 30 to 45 minutes earlier and he was driving the truck.

Gulbrandson would not admit Heuangsayaseng was in the house.

The SIRT team arrived and obtained a search warrant. Heuangsayaseng was found on the main floor living area at the base of the upstairs stairway and arrested.

Gulbrandson’s next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 30 for a pre-trial and Oct. 10 for a jury trial.

Heuangsayaseng pleaded not guilty to being a violent felon in possession of a firearm, a felony, on April 14.