Following a volatile standoff earlier this month, Ronald Reed Millsaps, a 59-year-old from Rockford, appeared in a Blount County court for his arraignment on charges including attempted criminal homicide and aggravated kidnapping. The Blount County Sheriff's Office responded to a domestic call at Millsaps' home on Jacob Springs Boulevard in Rockford, escalating into gunfire that wounded two deputies. Escorted into the courtroom in an orange jumpsuit, Millsaps faced a litany of charges, as reported by WATE.
At the arraignment, Millsaps, who appeared to have bruising under both eyes, was asked by Blount County General Sessions Court Judge William Brewer if he had reviewed his affidavit and had been in communication with the public defender, to which he replied, "Yes, Your Honor." Judge Brewer has set the preliminary hearing for August 20, according to The Daily Times.
The incident took place on June 11, when Blount County deputies Corbin Smith, 25, and Edward Walker, 28, responded to a domestic dispute call at Millsaps' residence. What began as an attempt to mediate a domestic conflict, resulted in Millsaps reportedly firing over one hundred rounds towards the officers. Sheriff James Berrong described the scene, stating deputies lost sight of Millsaps, and when he later saw the deputies, he opened fire. "He was ready for a battle and that’s what he came to us with," Sheriff Berrong told WBIR.
Both deputies survived the encounter thanks to their quick application of tourniquets and the successful efforts of their colleagues who rescued them amidst ongoing gunfire. Following the confrontation, Millsaps was taken into custody after a standoff, ending the incident around 5 p.m. With a bond set at over $1 million, Millsaps' list of charges includes two counts of attempted criminal homicide, one count of aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated domestic assault, four counts of reckless endangerment, and five counts of aggravated assault. The case has now moved to the next stage of the legal process, with a preliminary hearing that has been awaited by many, now on the court's calendar.
