Machete-wielding man resolves criminal cases
A 25-year-old man who police said was known to show up at churches with a machete pleaded no contest Tuesday for his assault of two teens outside a Harrison Township church.
Christian Snow, who was homeless and suffers from mental illness, entered pleas in Macomb County Circuit Court to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon and malicious destruction of property valued between $200 and $1,000 for trying to attack the teens last April in the parking lot of St. Hubert’s Church off Metropolitan Parkway west of Jefferson Avenue, according to court records.
Under a plea deal, the two assault charges will be converted to lesser charges, aggravated assault, if he completes conditions of probation and possibly Mental Health Court if he is accepted, records say.
Snow was subject of an approximately 12-hour manhunt last April 16 following the incident and was captured in St. Clair County, where he jumped into a creek to try to evade police.
He had tried to attack two teens with a machete. The teens managed to escape in a vehicle, which Snow allegedly struck with the weapon.
Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene but could not locate Snow, who police believed did not have access to a vehicle.
About 11:30 p.m. April 16, Clay Township police responded to the Immaculate Conception Church for a witness sighting of the suspect. When they arrived, officers searched the church on Dixie Highway near Church Road and a nearby area, but were unable to locate him.
Police then received another call indicating a witness saw a man matching Snow’s description attempting to break into a vehicle. Officers spotted Snow, who fled on foot, police said. Snow jumped into Swan Creek and police lost sight of him but located him at an Ira Road outlet.
He was charged in St. Clair County with two counts of resisting arrest. He pleaded guilty in 72nd District Court to two counts of attempted resisting arrest in December and was sentenced to 60 days in jail, time served, court records say.
He has been known as a “religious fanatic,” according to police, and had previously gone to at least three other churches armed with a machete.
In June 2021, Snow made headlines after he escaped from custody while being transported to the Behavioral Center in Warren after being arrested for a crime. He was wearing only a paper medical gown.
In the winter of 2019, he jumped out of a moving transport van on Interstate 75 while on his way to the Behavioral Center. Police said he was found outside a church the following day.
He remains held in the county jail in lieu of a $25,000 bond, cash or surety.