Charges now total 29 in CC police standoff aftermath

A Charles City County man, originally charged with two counts of assaulting a police officer in connection with close to a six-hour standoff with authorities on Aug. 16, now faces a total of 29 counts resulting from the incident.

Charles Richard Acey, 55, of 6121 Adkins Road, appeared in Charles City General District Court last Wednesday where he was served with the additional charges. He is charged with 10 counts of brandishing a firearm, nine counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, seven counts of assaulting a police officer, and one count each of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, reckless handling of a firearm, and drunk in public.

Events began to unfold in the late afternoon hours on Aug. 16 after neighbors called the county sheriff’s office around 4:30 p.m. to report that Acey was wandering around the yard outside his home, apparently intoxicated and brandishing a shotgun, Capt. Jayson Crawley said.

“He never fired a shot, but neighbors in the area felt concerned and called not wanting him to harm himself or them,” Crawley said.

A pair of State Police troopers arrived first on the scene. Crawley said Acey allegedly pointed the weapon in the troopers’ direction before scampering inside his single-story, frame house.

“The two counts of assaulting a police officer stemmed from when the troopers arrived and he pointed the shotgun at them and they felt threatened,” Crawley said.

Several attempts were made to coax Acey out of the house, but to no avail. A decision then was made to bring in a State Police SWAT team.

“We needed the State Police tactical team to go into the house because we didn’t know the circumstances of what was going on and what started the incident,” said Crawley.

A State Police negotiator repeatedly tried to convince Acey to surrender but without success. SWAT team members eventually fired several tear gas canisters into the house.

Acey still refused to come out, thus SWAT team members entered the dwelling.

“They found him lying on the floor in a hallway in an attempt to get below the tear gas,” Crawley said.

Acey was taken into custody without further incident at 10:15 p.m. The loaded shotgun, Crawley said, was found stashed away in a bedroom closet.

The suspect was taken to Riverside Jail in Prince George County where he remains held without bond. No injuries were reported during the ordeal and no shots were fired.

No one else was in the house at the time. Crawley said Acey lived there with a friend.

Alcohol apparently triggered the incident, Crawley said, adding, “He was heavily intoxicated.”

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in district court for Nov. 19, pending results from a psychological examination requested by Acey’s attorney, prosecutor Rob Tyler said last week.