Explaining this again too:
There's a hard limit on incarcerating him, not on the case itself. If the jail time exceeds the maximum sentence, he can request to be released without bail being an issue, and they have to let him go, but the court case can continue. He can then remain free as long as he makes his court dates. If he misses them, they can charge him with failure to appear and rearrest him and jail him as a flight risk.
It will not get to this point though. It will either be resolved within a year, or it will turn into a felony case in which case they can keep him in jail even if it takes ten years. Chris could also just voluntarily stay in jail longer since he has nowhere to go anyway. It will probably never get to this point though as this sort of shit annoys judges.