A 37-year-old man already free on bond for multiple felony charges is now facing 10 additional criminal counts after allegedly assaulting members of his household and refusing to surrender to police.
Authorities say Harold J. Cerda Jr. was arrested Tuesday, March 10, following an hours-long standoff at a home in Warren Township, Midland County, Michigan.
Assault reported early Tuesday
Deputies with the Midland County Sheriff’s Office were called to the residence around 1:30 a.m. for an assault complaint.
When deputies arrived, they spoke with the 33-year-old female resident, her 15-year-old son, and the 17-year-old son of Cerda, who had all managed to escape the home before officers arrived.
The victims told deputies Cerda had assaulted each of them inside the house, allegedly using a firearm during one of the attacks. Two of the victims suffered minor injuries.
Three additional children — ages 1, 3 and 7 — were also inside the home at the time but were not involved in the assault, according to Scott Holzinger, sheriff of Midland County. Deputies moved the woman and children to a safe location.
Police call in state tactical team
Cerda refused to leave the home, prompting authorities to call the Emergency Support Team from the Michigan State Police.
Later Tuesday afternoon, officers located Cerda inside the residence and arrested him without incident. Investigators also recovered the firearm he allegedly used.
Facing multiple new charges
Cerda was arraigned Wednesday, March 11, in Midland County District Court on the following charges:
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Three counts of felony firearm
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Three counts of domestic violence
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Two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm
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One count of interfering with an electronic communications device causing injury
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One count of assault with a dangerous weapon
A judge set his bond at $5 million cash-surety. Cerda is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary examination on March 31.
Already facing 12 earlier felony charges
At the time of the incident, Cerda was already free on a $250,000 bond related to 12 felony charges filed in 2022.
Those charges stem from an April 21, 2022 incident on U.S.-10, where Cerda allegedly exchanged gunfire with two men from Indiana following a drug deal.
The two Indiana men involved in that case have already been convicted and sentenced, according to authorities.