RICHLAND CENTER — Robert Bayliss, facing 17 felonies including four attempted homicide charges, clomped around in too-big boots, wearing baggy blue jeans and a Viola Volunteer Fire Department T-shirt, as he defended himself in a near-empty Richland County Circuit Court on Wednesday during the third day of his jury trial.

Bayliss refused the services of a public defender and has been in the county jail since last April, when he was arrested following a three-day siege at his rural Viola cabin. Deputies, who had been shot at March 31 when they tried to serve papers to evict Bayliss for failure to pay property taxes, had returned with reinforcements and armored cars. The ensuing shootout left his cabin and possessions in ruins and assault vehicles heavily damaged, but no one was injured.

Sgt. Charles McBain, however, testified Wednesday with a simple gesture to his neck to where the line of fire would have hit him. McBain was in the front passenger seat of the Bear Cat armored vehicle that approached Bayliss’ home on the hill April 3. Slugs from a high-powered rifle struck the windshield inches in front of McBain.

Bayliss, 61, built the cabin on 18 acres he bought in 1974 and lived there alone. He had not paid property taxes — initially because of a mailing mix up, he claimed — from 2000 to 2006. He owed $6,509.44 when the county finally took over the land and, in spring 2008, followed up on eviction notices.

In court Wednesday, Judge Edward E. Leineweber interrupted the trial several times to explain legal details to Bayliss, whose defense was based on protecting his property from trespassers.

"I put up signs, and when an individual comes on to my property and is advised verbally to leave, and they do not, after two notices, then they are breaking the law," he told the judge, responding to an objection by District Attorney Andrew Sharp that his questions were irrelevant.

Sharp said the trial is about a half-day to a day behind schedule and should wrap up early next week.