Marion Courthouse Plunger Gets 16 Years for Courthouse Rampage

The man who drove his pickup through the courthouse and started fires inside recently pled guilty to 13 counts.

Chris Millis in court Photo by: Tim King

(SALEM) - A man who went on a full rampage through the Marion County Courthouse last year lighting fires and threatening police will spend the next several years in Oregon's penal system.

38-year old Christopher Lee Millis of Keizer crashed his pickup into the Marion County Courthouse last year and set fires inside that would lead to the eventual total restoration of the county building built originally in the 1950's.

Millis was tried and sentenced in the Lane County Circuit Court in Eugene where he received a 16-year sentence for the numerous crimes including for Attempted Murder, Burglary in the First Degree; seven counts of First Degree Arson, and four counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

According to Oregon law, he must serve the first 90 months of the sentence, which is about 7 1/2 years, before becoming eligible for either parole or mental-health services.

Millis was regarded as a problem, an angry neighbor, and a person who was clearly over controlling of his wife and several children. Prior to damaging the courthouse, he fired a gun at a Keizer Police officer, lit fires to several cars in the police parking lot, and fired a gun at houses along the way to the courthouse.

He had parked his longbed pickup near the courthouse in Salem and switched out of the passenger car after losing pursuing police, then used the truck to smash the front of the courthouse open. Check below for more stories on Christopher Millis, the "Courthouse Plunger" and the most expensive criminal to ever attack Marion County.

More stories on the courthouse damage and Christopher Millis
Marion County Courthouse Rededication Ceremony Set
Man Pleads Guilty in Courthouse Rampage
Marion County Courthouse Nearing Completion of Rebuild
Marion County Courthouse Rises From the Rampage
Marion County Courthouse Repair Costs Now at $12 Million Dollars
Courthouse Restoration Progressing

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you say i speak out of emotion, but those are the facts. i dont care who you talked to about him, you never lived with him and didnt know him personly, i dont care about what information you gathered for your "story" but he isnt anything close to a terror of a man. a terror of a man is someone who spends thier life writing stories about crimes with false and bizzare "facts" about people and there families. i was ten years old when all of this happened, and i remember everything. you dont know anything about christopher lee millis except for what false information you gathered for this pathetic report, and may i say, there are few true facts in this whole thing. either your not very good at your job and your just too lazy and careless to get correct information or you've just been way brain washed with the work you do.

okay, to all you people who enjoy talking crap, you need to get a life and get your facts staright. I am the oldest daughter of christopher lee millis, and never once in my life was my dad cruel or too controling in any circumstances. My dad was my best friend and he was the nicest man i've ever known, and anyone would be lucky to know him. he was a loving man with a huge heart. your words are hurtful and very inconsiderate. before you go running your mouth and jumping to conclutions you need to think of who might read what you write, like me....his daughter. my dad needed help and his intentions were never to hurt anyone. i still talk to my dad and have forgiven him for everything. our family has gone threw so much pain and we dont need to listen to more people who dont know him judge. so think before you say anything, because my dad was and always will be a great man.

Editor: It's one thing to stick up for people you love; but this man went on a rampage and I spoke to people at the time who knew him, and they said he was a terror of a man.  So, his crimes are not your crimes what he did- you didn't do.  I worked closely with this story and I feel sorry for your dad, but please keep fact separate from emotion, if possible.  I am not trying to offend you, just think about it.  

I am the person who wrote this story. The people who lived near Millis said he was really cruel to his family and his neighbors for a very long time. I appreciate that people still have their advocates. Chris, how do you reason that this guy did not mean to hurt anyone but himself when he fired randomly at people's houses and one pursuing police officer?

To steve from Albany.. Apparently you are unaware of the circumstances that led to that incident! your a knuckle head! he had no intentions to hurt anyone but himself. The week I knew him,he was not that same person who went on a rampage. unless you know everything that happened, Keep your trap shut and learn how to spell

I previously commented that it was good this dirtbag pled out, but I am FLABBERGASTED, SHOCKED, AMAZED, ETC, ETC of the sentence this idiot judge levied on this guy. He was and is a menace to society. After pleading to over 9 FLEONIES he gets 16 years??? HOGWASH!!!! He should have got that for each felony to run consecutively. He will never be able to repay the costs involved...nor will any insurance company he may have. COME ON JUDGES...WAKE UP!!!!!!

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