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Former Manchester attorney and current District Attorney of the 31 Judicial District in Warren County, Christopher Robert Stanford, has been indicted on charges of reckless endangerment and discharging a firearm into an occupied habitation. The charges stem from an incident related to the apprehension of suspects in a triple homicide – that homicide happening in Warren County while the indictments against Stanford come for the incident that happened in neighboring DeKalb County.

The indictments were handed down Monday, Dec. 16 from a DeKalb County grand jury during a special session. Stafford, 43, turned himself in and posted a $10,000 bond. He will appear in Smithville in DeKalb County General Session Court Jan. 7. Prosecutors claim the house which was reportedly hit by Stanford’s stray bullets were occupied by a mother and her three children.

The shooting occurred during the apprehension of suspects sought by the Warren County Sheriff’s Department in connection to a recent triple homicide that occurred there. The three homicide victims were identified as William Piechocniski, Dana Ramsden and Otis Hawks II.

During the apprehension of murder suspects Caleb Dias Brookins, Jessica Marie Root and Hannah McKenzi Rose, of Antioch, a Homeland Security Agent in Warren County was struck by a vehicle allegedly driven by Rose. Authorities accuse Rose of ramming a deputy’s vehicle, but none of the vehicle’s two passengers were injured.  

According to statements to the local media, DeKalb County Sheriff Patrick Ray said Stanford fired at and missed Rose’s vehicle during the incident. Stanford issued a statement after the incident maintaining he fired his firearm in self-defense as the vehicle came toward him and other offers. He noted that he felt his actions were necessary and justified.

Brookins and Root have been charged with three counts of criminal homicide and are being held in the Warren County Jail. Rose has been charged with evading arrest and aggravated assault for hitting the Homeland Security agent. She is being detained in DeKalb County.

Stanford operated a law firm in Manchester with his wife Christina Stanford before winning the seat of Warren County District Attorney in 2022. He is presently the special prosecutor in the official misconduct case against Tullahoma Alderman Kurt Glick. That case is set for next September. Along with that local connection, the shooting by Stanford in DeKalb County resulted in the Coffee County District Attorney General being assigned as special prosecutor in the Warren County triple homicide.