AUBURN — A local man who shot at a passing pickup truck from his home and then shot at police during a standoff, will serve eight years of a 15-year sentence imposed Tuesday.

Daryan Saunders

Daryan Saunders, 48, of Auburn appeared in Androscoggin County Superior Court where he pleaded guilty to four crimes related to the May 1, 2023, events.

The most serious charge against Saunders, aggravated attempted murder, was dropped by prosecutors along with four other charges as part of a plea agreement.

Saunders admitted Tuesday to four felonies, including reckless conduct with a firearm, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and two counts of criminal threatening with a dangerous weapon.

Each crime is punishable by up to five years in prison.

After serving his sentence, Saunders will be on probation for four years, according to active retired Justice Nancy Mills.

She outlined the conditions of Saunders’ probation.

He must undergo mental health and substance abuse evaluation and treatment as recommended by probation officer.

And Saunders must not have or use alcohol or illegal drugs or dangerous weapons, including firearms, for which he can be searched at random.

The house at 30 Gillander Ave. in Auburn was damaged during a 21-hour standoff May 1, 2023, between Daryan Saunders, 47, and local and State Police. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Saunders has been held at Androscoggin County Jail pending trial. He appeared in court Tuesday in a tan jail suit.

Mills concluded Saunders lacked the assets to pay restitution for causing the police standoff.

Defense attorney Nicholas Worden said the attempted murder charge had been dismissed due to a “lack of forensics that would be necessary to demonstrate the intent” on Saunders’ part to commit murder.

Assistant District Attorney Nathan Walsh said Tuesday that Saunders and another man had argued on Facebook, which led to a planned fight at a local restaurant.

Saunders had told the man he was “a dead man,” Walsh said.

The man drove to the restaurant before driving to Saunder’s home at 30 Gillander Ave. where Saunders was standing outside holding what appeared to be a handgun and fired a couple of times in the truck’s direction, Walsh said.

An examination of the vehicle later revealed a bullet hole in one of the tires and shell casings were found in the area from where Saunders was believed to have been standing, he said.

Saunders was prohibited from having firearms due to a 2017 conviction, Walsh said.

Because Saunders was prohibited from having a gun, police went to Saunders’ home to execute a search warrant, which led to a standoff with local and Maine State Police, Walsh said.

When Saunders didn’t respond to a police loudspeaker, they used disabling chemicals aimed at forcing him to retreat.

“They advanced, (then) heard shots inside the house. They announced they were not shooting at the defendant and that they would use deadly force if the defendant had shot at them,” Walsh said.

At roughly 4 a.m., a member of the Maine State Police Tactical Unit attempted to deploy disabling chemicals in the basement area of the home from which gunshots had been heard earlier, Walsh said.

As the state trooper approached a basement window, he heard gunshots coming from that window and quickly retreated and took cover, Walsh said.

Police later examined the window and saw that a bullet had been fired from inside the basement that hit the window casing, Walsh said.

Eventually, fire hoses were used to flood the basement which led to Saunders’ arrest, Walsh said.

A Ruger “assault rifle” was found in the basement next to a bed. The gun’s safety was in the “fire” position and the magazine in the gun was loaded.

The gun’s location was in the area where the bullet was found lodged in the window casing, Walsh said.

A Glock 9 mm handgun was found between the mattress and box spring of the bed. A bullet was in the chamber and four rounds were in the magazine, Walsh said.

Police also located body armor, including a helmet and vest equipped with steel plates in the front and back.