By JAMES MITCHELL
Sunday Times Newspapers
LINCOLN PARK — A man who held police at bay and barricaded himself and his family during an armed standoff in September 2012 declined to be judged by a jury of his peers and pleaded guilty to four felony charges.
John Joseph Christner, 40, will be sentenced Monday by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Talon. Christner pleaded guilty last month to assault with a dangerous weapon, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison, felony firearm possession, a mandatory two-year penalty, carrying a dangerous weapon with unlawful intent and aggravated domestic assault.
Additional charges of assault with a dangerous weapon were dismissed at the time of Christner’s plea, as was assault with intent to commit murder, a felony that could have resulted in a life sentence.
Lincoln Park Police were called to Christner’s house in the 1500 block of Cleophus shortly after 3 a.m., Sept. 30 in response to a potential domestic situation. Early reports indicated that Christner assaulted his wife and son.
Christner was outside when police arrived, armed with a long gun, and retreated inside the house. Police spent most of the day attempting to negotiate with Christner, who fired several shots during the standoff before Christner surrendered that night.
(James Mitchell can be reached at [email protected].)