FAIRDEALING, Mo. -- A Doniphan, Mo., man, who authorities say believed aliens were watching him, allegedly was high on methamphetamine Saturday when he wielded an ax at an elderly couple and injured their son.
Christopher D. Waddell, 39, was arrested after a three-hour standoff with authorities and subsequently charged with two Class B felonies of second-degree assault, the Class D felony of second-degree assault and the Class E felonies of first-degree property damage and resisting arrest by Ripley County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Michel.
Waddell's charges stem from an incident, which reportedly began at about noon Saturday at a residence on Highway JJ when Ripley County deputies Tim Nelson and Chad Keathley were sent there for what was described as an assault in progress with an ax.
Upon Nelson's arrival, according to his probable-cause affidavit, he was flagged down by a man, later identified as Brian Kreiner, who had been struck by an ax at the residence.
Nelson said he and Keathley "were confronted" by a male, later identified as Waddell, with an ax in his right hand and a knife in his left hand.
"When instructed to drop his weapons, Waddell began to step backwards into the doorway," Nelson said. "(He) stated that if we came any closer that he would kill us.
"At that time, he began to close the door to the residence, at which point Deputy Keathley and myself backed away from the residence and advised dispatch that (Waddell) was barricaded in the residence."
Nelson said Waddell then began to yell from the residence that "we would have to kill him to get him out of the house."
Waddell, Nelson said, was asked several times to put down his weapons and come out of the house to "which he would yell out that we would have to come in and get him, and that he would shoot and kill the first person through the door and as many more as he could get before he was killed."
Nelson said Waddell then began to break windows out of the front of the residence and stuck the barrel of what appeared to be a rifle out of the window, pointing it at Keathley, "who was trying to talk to Waddell from outside the residence."
At that point, Nelson said, he and Keathley pulled back to gain cover behind a vehicle and asked for Chief Deputy Charles Mays and Sheriff Mike Barton to be notified.
Additional Ripley County deputies and troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the scene, and a three-hour standoff ensued, Barton said.
"After negotiations, Waddell came out of the home unarmed and was arrested without no problem," Barton said.
After his arrest, Barton said, Waddell told deputies "he had been taking meth and believed aliens were watching him," said Barton, who indicated Waddell was taken to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center for evaluation before being incarcerated.
Barton said Brian Kreiner had been struck by the ax in the "right arm when he held his arm up. Family (members) drove him to the Coppertop with minor injuries."
On Sunday, Nelson said Waddell's alleged victims -- Leroy Kreiner, Brian Kreiner, Shirley Kreiner and Terry Kreiner -- came into the sheriff's department to fill out statements.
Nelson said the Kreiners reported they were in Leroy Kreiner's vehicle returning from Doniphan when they "noticed a strange vehicle in the driveway of Leroy's son Kenneth's home, which is located on Leroy's property."
Leroy Kreiner, Nelson said, reported he saw the front door open to his son's residence and knew he was not home.
"Leroy stated that a man came out of the house with an ax behind his back and approached Leroy with the ax," Nelson said. "(He) stated that his son, Brian Kreiner, got out of the truck and told him to get back in the truck, and he did."
At that point, Leroy Kreiner reported his wife, Shirley Kreiner, rolled down the truck's rear window and told Waddell she was "Ken's mother to which he stated he would kill her and ran to the truck and swung the axe, missing Shirley and striking the truck."
The elder Kreiner further reported his son "turned away from (Waddell) at which point, he swung the ax, striking him in the back."
Brian Kreiner, a resident of Nisswa, Minn., provided as similar account as that of his father.
"Brian stated he tried to talk to (Waddell) and when he turned to walk back to the truck, (Waddell) ran up and hit him in a swinging motion across the back and into the back of his elbow, cutting his arm open," Nelson said.
In her statement, Shirley Kreiner reported Waddell came out of her son's house, stating someone had broken into the house and he was "waiting for Ken."
When her husband got out of the truck and confronted Waddell, he "began yelling to leave or he would kill them," Nelson said. "Shirley stated at that point, the man began to swing the ax at Leroy."
Nelson said Shirley Kreiner reported her son then got out to protect his father, and he was struck by the ax.
Shirley Kreiner, he said, further reported when "she rolled her window down and told (Waddell) she was Ken's mother ... he yelled 'Shut up ----- or I'll kill you.'
"Shirley stated that (Waddell) then swung the ax at her, but missed and hit the window frame."
Brian Kreiner's wife, Terry, provided a similar account, but added when they left, "(Waddell) chased them with the ax."
Waddell, whose bond is set at $75,000 cash only, is to appear Wednesday before Associate Circuit Judge Thomas Swindle for arraignment on the charges.
Waddell is charged as a prior offender. He was convicted of the Class D felony of driving while revoked/suspended in 2013 in Ripley County.