An Arkansas man is subject to a $5 million bond following an incident in which he is accused of opening fire at the home of Poinsett County Judge Ron Hunter and shooting towards law enforcement officers. Christopher Allen Ford, 35, was arrested after an intensive search by multiple agencies, including the Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
Events unfolded on a recent Friday night when Judge Hunter reportedly called 911 about an unidentified man threatening him on his property, according to FOX13 Memphis. Officers initially failed to locate any suspect, but the situation escalated to firmly alarm Hunter's wife, who dialled 911 roughly an hour later to report gunshots fired at their residence. No injuries were sustained despite the gravity of the confrontation that ensued where Christopher Ford is alleged to have begun shooting at responding deputies.
On the following day, Saturday, Ford was apprehended after law enforcement conducted a search warrant on his home, as noted in a report from WREG. During the search, authorities found indications of further crimes, including the shooting of one of Judge Hunter’s mules and the discovery of counterfeit $100 bills.
On Monday, a Probable Cause Hearing was held before Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge Scott Ellington, which saw Ford's bond being set at $5 million in cash or surety. The charges against Ford include aggravated assault, criminal attempt to commit capital murder, terroristic acts, and firearm possession by a prohibited person. Sheriff Kevin Molder said they are looking into the possibility of the shooting being an act of retaliation against Judge Hunter due to a case he presided over, as reported by Action News 5. The full scope of Ford's motives is currently under investigation.
