NILES – A Niles man who barricaded himself in his Niles Township home twice in December pleaded guilty this week to felony and misdemeanor charges in Berrien County Trial Court.

Kyle Paul Collinsworth, 21, of Florence Avenue in Niles, will be sentenced April 1 on charges of aggravated assault, interference with electronic communications and possession of cocaine less than 25 grams. He had been scheduled to go to trial on March 20.

He remains in jail on $25,000 cash or surety bond.

Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Wainwright reported that under terms of a plea agreement reached this week, Collinsworth pleaded guilty to two felony charges and one misdemeanor charge — for aggravated assault — in return for not being considered a habitual offender and having a felony charge of assault with a dangerous weapon dismissed.

The aggravated assault charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail. The interference with electronic communications charge is a two-year felony, while the possession of cocaine charge carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison.

Police responded to two incidents involving Collinsworth on Dec. 14 and 16  in the 1600 block of Florence Avenue in Niles Township. In the first incident, two individuals reported they had been threatened by Collinsworth who was wielding a knife. He initially barricaded himself in the home but later escaped.

Police were called back to the home Dec. 16, 2018, when reports came in that he had barricaded himself in the home again. Police secured the exterior of the residence and negotiated his surrender.

Agencies responding to the two incidents included the Berrien County Sheriff’s Department Niles Township Road Patrol, the Berrien County Tactical Response Unit, the Berrien County Hostage Negotiation Team, the Michigan State Police, Niles City Police, the Niles Township Fire Department and the Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance Service.