On September 1, 2019, Deputy Jacob Cain was dispatched to 13232 Calhoun 78 for a domestic disturbance involving a firearm. Before arriving, Cain requested assistance from Thornton City Marshall Tommy Stringfellow. On arrival, the suspect was identified as Chris Cranford. Cranford had become upset with his ex-wife and began threatening bodily harm to himself and left the residence. It was determined that he went to his family’s Christmas tree farm on Calhoun 162. It was reported that Cranford was armed with a 30-06 hunting rifle. Stringfellow made it to the farm, and advised Cain that Cranford was on the pipeline armed. Stringfellow also advised that Cranford pointed a rifle at him and threatened to shoot him and anyone else that came to the pipeline.
As Cain turned onto Calhoun 72, he began scanning the area looking for Cranford. As Cain saw Cranford’s late 90’s model Ford truck, he noticed that Cranford was in the door frame aiming a rifle at him. Cain then radioed for all available assistance. State police arrived on scene a few minutes later followed by Sheriff Vernon Morris, Chief Deputy Andy Carter, and Deputy Daniel Foster.
Officers were unable to make contact with Cranford due to his position in the pipeline. After some time, Carter went to the farm to assist Stringfellow in covering that exit. Later, Carter radioed and informed the other officers that Cranford had appeared on the road by the farm, and returned to his truck. Cain, Foster, and Sheriff Morris went to the farm. As they arrived Cranford appeared on the road with two rifles in hand. Cranford then leaned both rifles against an old tractor and walked toward his truck again. Cranford then returned with two more rifles and leaned them against the tractor and walked back towards his truck. Shortly after, State Police radioed and gave information that an older truck had driven away from that area and cut down Calhoun 77 towards Highway 274. Cain, Carter, Morris, Foster, and Stringfellow proceeded to the pipeline to see if Cranford was still on the pipeline only to find that he had left. Deputies then left and began looking for Cranford. Deputy Terry Anders was in Tinsman and spotted Cranford’s truck coming towards Tinsman at a high rate of speed, but was unable to make contact. Cain then informed Officer Roger Adams with Hampton Police Department of Cranford traveling towards Hampton. It was determined that Cranford was possibly going to a residence on Calhoun 512. Cain and Adams then proceeded to the residence. On arrival, Cranford’s truck was spotted in the driveway. Cranford was taken into custody at that time without incident and transported to the Calhoun County Jail where he was booked in on two counts of Aggravated Assault, Terroristic Threatening 1st Degree, Fleeing, and Possession of a Firearm by Certain Person. He is currently being held on a $500,000 bond.
