Charlestown Man Who Allegedly Shot at Cops Gets Plea Deal

A Charlestown man who fired shots at police during a bizarre three hour standoff with authorities in August pleaded guilty to two lesser charges as part of a plea deal last month, The Mercury is reporting.

In exchange for a guilty plea on charges of recklessly endangering another person, charges of assaulting a law enforcement officer were withdrawn against Daniel Hale Zantzinger, 47. According to the paper, Zantzinger is the son of deceased documentary filmmaker and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Alfred Geist Zantzinger.

(Read the original story here.)

On August 7 at 2:30 a.m., Zantzinger was involved in an almost four hour standoff with state and local police (including officers from East Pikeland and Schuylkill Township) at his Constant Springs Lane residence after authorities responded to a report of “suspicious condition.”

Police allege that Zantzinger fired at them through an open window and, when they demanded he leave the home, he continued firing. He surrendered at 6:22 a.m. and no one was injured in the standoff.

When police searched the home, they found nearly 50 guns. Zantzinger, who was confined to a psychiatric hospital after his arrest, later admitted that he was drinking and taking prescription medicine at the time of the incident.

Read the full story here.