Houston Missouri Man Faces Assault Charges Following Incident At Fort Leonard Wood

A Houston, Missouri, man pleads guilty in federal court to assaulting and threatening to murder a federal law enforcement officer at Fort Leonard Wood.

The U.S. Attorney Western District of Missouri Office says that 32-year-old James Dickens had driven a stolen vehicle to one of the gates at the fort where he showed personnel an axe and then took off at a high rate of speed before crashing and yelling at officers surrounding the vehicle.

Dickens got out of the vehicle threatening officers before and after he was tased, then spit on paramedics who also responded to the scene.

Dickens faces a maximum sentence of 18 years in federal prison without parole.

A presentence investigation has been ordered with formal sentencing to take place on a later date.