Attempted murder charges filed in Indiana police standoff

MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — The man who authorities say fired an assault rifle at officers and kept them pinned down inside a rural central Indiana house for more than 2 hours has been charged with attempted murder.

Morgan County prosecutors on Thursday also charged 27-year-old Richard Simmons with illegally wearing body armor while committing a felony. The charges stem from a standoff on Wednesday that began when four officers arrived at the house near Martinsville trying to arrest him on warrants for identity deception and probation violation.

Authorities say Simmons fired at the officers, at least one of whom returned fire and struck Simmons in his bulletproof vest. The officers escaped unharmed.

Simmons is jailed under $1 million bond. A message seeking comment was left for defense attorney William Van Der Pol.