NORTH ADAMS — An Adams man remains held without bail after allegedly beating his girlfriend Sunday and threatening to shoot her with his black powder hunting rifle.

Charles Weatherwax, 25, surrendered to police Sunday morning after a brief standoff at the couple's Commercial Street home.

The woman told officers Weatherwax told came home drunk the night before and slept on the couch, according to a report written by Adams Police Officer Nicholas Dabrowski, In the morning, he became agitated when asked about using the woman's credit card.

With two young children present, he allegedly pinned her on the bed, slapped her, and pushed her against the wall while she dialed police about 10:47 a.m. Before police arrived, the woman said, Weatherwax grabbed his rifle and pointed it at her and said, "You want to call the cops? I'll shoot you and the cops."

When Dabrowski arrived, he found Weatherwax and the woman standing on the front steps of the building. Dabrowski was familiar with the couple, as the night before she had called police because he had taken her car.

The woman saw the police car and started waving her arms frantically and was crying, according to Dabrowski's report. "[She was] visibly upset and had nothing on her feet but socks, and started running towards my cruiser."

He noted it was about 10 degrees at the time.

She told Dabrowski that Weatherwax had a gun, so the officer and the woman took cover as Weatherwax stepped back into the house with, where the kids remained. A few minutes later, another officer arrived as backup, followed by Massachusetts State Police.

In the meantime, dispatchers got Weatherwax on the phone and helped to facilitate a dialog between him and the officer. Weatherwax was asked to lay down his gun and come out with his hands raised.

He initially refused, but soon relented, and he was taken into custody without further incident.

Weatherwax pleaded not guilty in Northern Berkshire District Court on Monday to armed assault to murder, assault and battery on a family/household member and witness intimidation.

He was ordered held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing set for Thursday.

Scott Stafford can be reached at sstafford@berkshireeagle.com or 413-629-4517.