A Logan County jury on Thursday convicted a Lakeview man, Holley Tolliver Jr., 58, on 22 felony charges stemming from a tense 12-hour armed standoff with law enforcement in August 2024.
The incident unfolded at Tolliver’s residence on Big Bear Path in Chippewa Park, where he exchanged gunfire with officers and barricaded himself inside.
The jury, after four hours of deliberation, returned guilty verdicts on all counts, including 16 counts of felonious assault on a peace officer, four counts of improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation, one count of burglary, and one count of grand theft of a firearm.
The assault charges carry seven-year firearm specifications, while the discharge charges include three-year specifications.
The standoff began when a neighbor called 911 to report that a gunshot had struck their home.
Responding deputies traced the gunfire to Tolliver’s house and attempted to negotiate with him.
Over the next ten-plus hours, Tolliver repeatedly fired at officers as they used drones, robots, and tear gas in efforts to end the standoff peacefully.
Despite the danger, no officers were injured—Tolliver was the only person hurt, sustaining gunshot wounds to his arm and nose before surrendering.
Following his arrest, investigators discovered dozens of firearms inside Tolliver’s home, many of which had been stolen from a neighbor’s residence in the same area.
Jurors heard testimony that Tolliver had broken into the home before the standoff and used those stolen weapons during the incident.
Tolliver took the stand in his own defense, claiming he never burglarized the neighbor’s home and only fired into the ground, not at officers.
His attorney, Addie King of Urbana, requested a jury instruction for a not guilty by reason of insanity plea.
However, Logan County Court of Common Pleas Judge Kevin P. Braig denied the request, ruling that Tolliver had not provided sufficient evidence of a mental disease or defect that would impair his understanding of the wrongfulness of his actions.
During the four-day trial, jurors were transported to the scene to view the damage to the homes and witness firsthand the physical aftermath of the event.
The prosecution presented 34 witnesses, including a forensic psychologist who testified that Tolliver was mentally competent and sane at the time of the offense.
Prosecutor Eric Stewart, who led the case alongside Assistant Prosecutor Erin Rosen, stated, “We are pleased with the verdict. Mr. Tolliver’s actions put the lives of his neighbors, community, and many law enforcement officers in danger.”
Judge Braig ordered that Tolliver remain in custody at the Logan County Jail, where he has been held since the day of the incident.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2025, at 3:30 PM, where Tolliver faces the possibility of decades in prison.
