Police: Waverly man attacked police and family

A Waverly, N.Y., man is charged with 18 felony counts of aggravated assault after allegedly attacking and threatening his family and police officers during a domestic incident at a residence on Park Hollow Road on Dec. 21 at around 10 p.m.

According to court documents, Christopher M. Payne, 26, was inside the residence causing a disturbance by throwing a ball at one family member’s face and gripping their arm tightly while refusing to let go. He also allegedly punched another family member in the face when they attempted to stop him and caused an injury to another family member’s lip.

When six Pennsylvania State Police officers arrived on the scene, Payne allegedly repeatedly told them that he would reach for their guns and attack them if they did not leave him alone. When instructed to go outside, police said he told officers he would “knock all of (their) teeth in” if they tried to remove him from the residence.

Payne told the officers that he was willing to go to jail for assault, but that it would “not end well” for them if they tried to detain him, according to court documents. He also allegedly told his mother that he would punch her in the mouth if she got near him and threatened his grandfather when he attempted to calm Payne down.

According to police, Payne at one point told officers to shoot him and reached for fireplace tools, but was stopped by Trooper Beauchemin.

After Payne’s family members were cleared from the room, Payne allegedly exited the residence, got into his vehicle, and told officers that he would take one of their guns and shoot them when they held his vehicle door open.

While being placed under arrest, police said Payne began to fight with officers, causing Trooper Kopec to sustain a laceration to his leg. Payne also attempted to grab Corporal Smith’s firearm, but was unsuccessful, according to police.

Payne was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Ryan Edsell and remanded to the Bradford County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail.

He is charged with 18 felony counts of aggravated assault, as well as five counts of terroristic threats, three counts of harassment, two counts of simple assault and single counts of criminal mischief and resisting arrest.

A preliminary hearing for Payne was scheduled for 1 p.m. on Dec. 30 before Edsell.

(Kevin Baker is a staff writer with The Daily Review)