Madison County Man Accused of Aiming BB Rifle at Passing Motorists

A 71-year-old man was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after allegedly pointing what appeared to be a rifle at passing vehicles in the Town of Sullivan, prompting a police response that temporarily shut down a portion of Smithridge Road.

According to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and New York State Police responded to the area of 1161 Smithridge Road at approximately 12:44 p.m. on February 5 after receiving reports of a man menacing motorists with a firearm.

Upon arrival, officers encountered the suspect, identified as Robert Christie, standing in the driveway of the residence. Deputies observed what appeared to be a rifle propped against a garage door within his reach. When they attempted to make verbal contact, Christie allegedly displayed what appeared to be a handgun and refused to comply with commands.

Authorities quickly established a perimeter and shut down Smithridge Road between Moore Rd. and Weaver Road as negotiators worked to de-escalate the situation. After a period of negotiations, Christie eventually surrendered and was taken into custody without further incident. A subsequent investigation revealed that the firearms in question were both BB guns.

Christie was charged with two counts of menacing a police officer (Class D Felony) and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the 4th degree (Class A Misdemeanor). He was transported to the Madison County Jail, arraigned in CAP Court, and held on $2,500 cash bail.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was assisted at the scene by the New York State Police. Smithridge Rd. was reopened following Christie’s arrest. Authorities have not released further details regarding a possible motive for the incident.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from the Madison County Sheriff's Office. Regardless of any statements or photographs regarding potential evidence presented or accusations alleged, the reader is reminded that all suspects and/or arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]