Man who threatened family members with gun pleads guilty

A Mountain Home man alleged to have pointed a handgun at his mother and other family members during a domestic altercation appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday.

Twenty-two-year-old Wayne Randall Kindstrom, Jr., pled guilty to reduced charges and was put on probation for four years.

There were a number of circumstances that went into the decision, including that Kindstrom has completed a 14-month rehab program operated by Messiah Ministries in Pocahontas. He entered the program on January 20, according to a letter from Messiah Ministries to the court.

In addition, Kindstrom’s family has indicated to prosecutors that they agree with the sentence.

THE ARREST

On Sept. 2, 2023, Mountain Home police officers responded to an address along Lee Avenue where a domestic disturbance involving a handgun had been reported.

When the officers arrived, the victims were reported to have run out of the house. The officers were told that Kindstrom remained inside the residence and was armed with a handgun.

Two officers opened the front door and called on Kindstrom to approach them. He followed the command and was placed in handcuffs.

When asked about the gun, Kindstrom is alleged to have said he had thrown it into the downstairs game room.

The witnesses said the incident started with an argument between Kindstrom and his girlfriend. Kindstrom was alleged to have told the woman to get out of the house, but she refused.

After his request was turned down, Kindstrom is alleged to have taken his child into the front room.

Family members began asking Kindstrom what was going on with him. He is reported to have cursed at his mother.

The mother then “grabbed” her phone, and Kindstrom threated to kill them all if she called the police.

After the threat was made, Kindstrom went to his bedroom and retrieved a pistol, came back into the living room and began pointing the weapon at family members.

He is reported to have pointed the firearm at his mother’s head.

The officers were unable to locate the gun, but, after telling several false stories, Kindstrom said his initial statement about throwing the weapon into a downstairs game room was false.

He eventually admitted that he had hidden the gun in his bedroom closet.

MOTHER APPEARS

According to the probable cause affidavit, Kindstrom was given a no contact order for the family’s residence along Lee Avenue and for each of the victims.

A woman identifying herself as Kindstrom’s mother made an earlier appearance in court to ask that a no-contact order in place to keep Kindstrom away from the victims be dropped.

Circuit Judge John Putman said at the time, given the allegation in the case, he did not feel comfortable dropping the order completely. He did modify it to allow the mother to talk to her son by phone while he was in jail.

Later, Kindstrom was given permission by the court to enter the rehab program in Pocahontas.

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