Photo submitted to Times Observer Christian Iverson

A Garland man is in jail on $100,000 bail after allegedly threatening to kill an estranged family member,

Christian S. Iverson, 37, was arrested Wednesday following a series of events that state police said started off with their being dispatched to Dunn’s Eddy Road in Brokenstraw Township for a reported possible home invasion. On their way to the scene, police said, they were informed that the suspect was using a weapon and attempting to enter the residence, as well as “screaming he was going to kill the victims.” Police were also alerted that a witness said she heard what she believed to be gunshots.

As they reached the scene, police said, they saw a white Ford F350 heading toward them at a high rate of speed in the wrong lane of travel and refusing to move over for the oncoming officers, who swerved to avoid hitting it. After turning around and pursuing the truck for about one mile, police said, it committed “numerous traffic violations” before it struck “approximately two mailboxes and one yard ornament” and then swerved into the woods on the north side of the roadway. That, police said, is when the vehicle struck a tree and the driver fled on foot.

Unable to locate the driver, police searched the truck and found marijuana and rolling papers. Police then interviewed the victims, who told them that Iverson had arrived at their residence and driven through their yard, striking additional mailboxes and causing damage to multiple yards belonging to other people. Victims told police that Iverson “appeared to be highly intoxicated.” After driving through the yard, witnesses told police, Iverson then got out of his vehicle with a hatchet and “began yelling that he was going to kill them.”

At that point, witnesses went on to tell police, Iverson “broke all the lights on the exterior of the residence to avoid detection.” He then proceeded to use the hatchet to break windows on the garage door, threw the hatchet at windows on the second floor of the residence where victims were located, and punch the windshield of his estranged family member’s car, breaking it and causing his hand to bleed, which left “a large amount of blood” on the windshield and in the area of the vehicle. Iverson then “attempted to enter the residence several times.”

During this time, witnesses told police, Iverson “was yelling and screaming” before returning to his vehicle and used it to ram his estranged family member’s vehicle and push it into the garage. He then allegedly threw the hatchet into another window of the garage and fled the scene.

Police returned to the scene with victims, who “observed objects (that) were placed in strange locations, namely the hatchet was located against the vehicle outside of the residence. They determined that Iverson had returned and made entry into the residence. A subsequent search of the area resulted in Iverson being spotted, at which point he again fled on an ATV using Route 6. Police pursued Iverson, who traveled onto Route 27 before turning onto Davey Hill Road and then Old Garland Road in Pittsfield Township. After then attempting to flee into the woods on the ATV, police said, Iverson abandoned the vehicle and attempted to escape on foot again.

It was at that point, police said, that officers “had to use substantial force, namely a taser, to effect the arrest.”

After mirandizing Iverson, police said, he had the strong odor of alcohol about him and admitted to using marijuana and alcohol before the first pursuit and crash. During the ensuing investigation, police said, they determined that Iverson had stolen the ATV from another victim on York Hill Road. Iverson was transported to Warren General Hospital, where he submitted to chemical testing, before being remanded to the Warren County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Iverson faces a total of 46 charges, from felony to misdemeanor offenses, including: burglary; criminal trespass; terroristic threats; criminal mischief; flight to avoid apprehension; aggravated assault; DUI; stalking; accidents involving death or personal injury, simple assault, resisting arrest, harassment, disorderly conduct, loitering and prowling at night; reckless endangerment; possession of marijuana; possession of drug paraphernalia; fleeing and eluding; and a slew of summary traffic offenses incurred during both pursuits and subsequent crashes.

Iverson awaits a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 12 at 11 a.m.