HUGHESVILLE – What began as a response to a domestic disturbance late Saturday night turned potentially lethal, after a Wolf Township man refused to allow police onto his property.

State police set up a perimeter around the man’s residence at 1342 Horn Hill Road, after he stood on his back porch and pointed a rifle at officers, while yelling “I’m going to (expletive) kill you,” according to police.

Police said they were called to the scene after an argument between Michelle Long and her boyfriend, Robert Lyons, 45, turned physical. Long told police that her boyfriend grabbed her by the neck and choked her. She escaped, fleeing to her vehicle to call for help, police said.

While police were on their way to the residence, Lyons telephoned state police barracks and said he did not want officers at his property. According to reports, he alluded to the fact that “there would be trouble if they responded.”

When officers arrived, Lyons allegedly was standing on the porch, pointing a “long gun” at the troopers as they exited their vehicle. Lyons then called the barracks once more and said he intended to shoot the officers if they did not exit his driveway, according to records.

Police set up a perimeter around the residence. Lyons remained on the back porch, still armed, and began yelling that he was going to kill the officers surrounding him. According to police, at one point, Lyons yelled, “Shoot me, so I can shoot back.”

Lyons was taken into custody a little after 11 p.m., about two hours after police arrived on the scene. A search of Lyons’ home revealed numerous weapons, a long rifle, a shotgun and several boxes of ammunition. Seventeen firearms were removed from the residence, police said.

Lyons, who is not permitted to posess firearms due to a felony conviction, was arraigned before District Judge Allen Page on charges including aggravated assault, terroristic threat, possessing an instrument of crime, simple assault and reckless endangerment. He was jailed in the Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $35,000 bail.