Hostage Standoff In Ballard Ends Quietly

A 14-hour hostage situation in Ballard ended quietly yesterday morning when police negotiators talked a man into coming outside for a cigarette.

The standoff began just after 3 p.m. Friday at the Vaupell Industrial Plastic Co. Inc., 1144 N.W. 53rd St. It ended about 5 a.m. yesterday.

The suspect in the incident, identified by police and co-workers as former employee Walt Eleza, was being held in the King County jail for investigation of kidnapping, arson and various weapons violations. Eleza was fired from the company about two months ago.

Police negotiators communicated with Eleza throughout the night on a special telephone link. After one negotiator had been talking for nine hours, he was replaced about 1 a.m. and the second negotiator continued the discussions.

Eleza, who was armed with a rifle and shotgun, said several times that police should come inside and have a cigarette, but the negotiator finally convinced him he should come outside for a smoke, said police spokesman Sean O'Donnell.

Eleza, believed by police to be about 52 years old, came outside about 5 a.m. He was required to remove most of his clothing to make sure he had no more weapons, then was arrested.

He had driven his car into a loading-dock area in the building Friday afternoon and set the car on fire. He then took Vaupell co-owner Fred Tompkins hostage before releasing him three hours later, police said. About 75 employees were evacuated when the incident began.

Police found seven unexploded homemade bombs in the burned-out car and recovered a sawed-off rifle and shotgun from Eleza when he surrendered. Other firearms and explosives were found at his apartment nearby.

Eleza "appeared to be intoxicated" when he went into the building Friday, said O'Donnell. Former co-workers said he had a fascination with firearms.