Illinois man faces firearms, assault charges

A Union County, Ill., man faces two felony and two misdemeanor charges stemming from an Aug. 18 stand-off with police.

Havey Bearden was holding two handguns when an Illinois State Police trooper arrived at his home on North Lick Creek Road in response to a domestic battery call. He was sitting in a lawn chair, had a revolver in his lap and a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol under his shirt and jammed against his chin, Union County state's attorney Allen James said in a prepared statement.

Union County sheriff's deputy Bart Hileman and the trooper were acting on a complaint filed from a neighboring house. When other officers arrived, the negotiations were taken over by an experienced hostage negotiator with the state police.

Bearden approached the trooper and refused to stop, James said. The trooper then struck Bearden in the face, knocking him to the ground, James said. In an ensuing struggle, the gun fired, grazing the trooper's finger.

Bearden faces aggravated battery with a firearm and aggravated assault -- both felonies -- as well as resisting a peace officer and domestic battery, both misdemeanors.