Falls man allegedly threatens to shoot police prompting Levittown standoff

A Falls man is facing charges after he allegedly fired his rifle in his backyard late Saturday night before turning the weapon on police, then barricading himself in his Thornridge home for more than three hours.

A neighbor of Rio Joseph DeMaio called police shortly after 10 p.m. after he heard at least a half-dozen shotgun blasts that appeared to be coming from DeMaio’s home in the 30 block of Teaberry Lane in Levittown, according to a probable cause affidavit.

The neighbor told police he did not see the 43-year-old DeMaio, but he is familiar with his voice. The neighbor said he heard DeMaio yelling expletives about the police and yelling “get out of the tree,” the affidavit said.

DeMaio’s voice was the only one the neighbor told police he heard, and he also heard the sound of a gun cocking several times, authorities said.

Three Falls officers arrived at the home shortly before 11 a.m. As they approached the home, one officer saw DeMaio sitting at a table on the rear patio yelling on his cellphone about about “the feds.”

DeMaio was also heard claiming that people were watching him and he was tired of it, the affidavit said.

When the officers announced their presence, DeMaio allegedly threatened them, if they didn’t leave.

“I’ll (expletive) shoot you,” he said, according to police.

DeMaio then got up and started moving toward two officers with a rifle in his hand, the affidavit said. When the third officer warned the others about the weapon, DeMaio turned and pointed his rifle at the officer, the affidavit said.

The officer then shined his mounted flashlight at DeMaio and, after he confirmed DeMaio was armed, the officer fired two rounds at the suspect, who then ran into the home uninjured, authorities said.

Police declared a barricade incident and set up a perimeter around the home.  Several tactical teams were called to the home.  After more than three hours, DeMaio exited the home and he was taken into custody around 2:30 a.m.

Officers on the scene found four spent shotgun shells on the ground in the backyard of the home, the affidavit said.  No one else was in the home at the time of the incident, police said.

Bucks County property records show DeMaio previously owned the home, but it was sold to a holding company in January.

DeMaio was arraigned Sunday morning on charges including felony aggravated assault and multiple related misdemeanor charges.  He was taken to Bucks County Correctional Facility in lieu of 10% of $1 million bail.

Falls police executed a search warrant at the Teaberry Lane home on Sunday afternoon, Falls Lt. Christopher Clark said.

According to court records, DeMaio pleaded guilty to six summary citations in April 2020 including disorderly conduct, harboring a dangerous dog, and possessing a nuisance, vicious or destructive animal.

More Falls crime news Bucks County DA rules Falls police-involved shooting justified. Few details of shooting released

More Bucks County news Is civil service making it harder for Bucks County towns to recruit police officers?

Falls PD on look out for impersonator Fake cop pulls over woman in Falls. Police searching for suspect

This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Falls man threatens cops, barricades self inside Levittown house