A man who fired shots from a handgun to keep a woman from leaving his home has been arrested, for the second time in a little over a month.
Butler County Sheriff’s Department was called Monday to a county residence regarding shots fired and a woman screaming. The location and witness information has been redacted in a probable cause statement filed with Butler County courts.
Richard L. Clark now faces first-degree felony domestic assault, felony armed criminal action, felony unlawful use of a weapon, and felony resisting/interfering with arrest.
It’s his second arrest in a little over a month, according to authorities. Clark and his brother, Robert L. Clark, were both previously arrested in connection with an assault Sunday, May 12, and they both face charges of armed criminal action and second-degree assault. That case remains under investigation.
Deputies report Monday’s events also seemed to have been spurred by an argument between Clark and a brother whose name was redacted.
Deputies responded Monday to find Clark attempting to leave the residence while his alleged victim was laying on the floor and bleeding from the head.
According to the report, deputies ordered Clark to exit the residence and informed him that he was under arrest; however, Clark attempted to flee on foot before he could be placed in restraints. The deputy reportedly gave chase and advised Clark that he had drawn his department issued taser, at which point Clark reportedly placed his hands in the air and said “I give up.”
While processing the scene, deputies located three spent 9-mm shell casings in the driveway, and one spent 9-mm casing on the front porch of the residence. Deputies also located a single stack magazine for a 9-mm handgun containing eight live rounds in the drivers’ seat of the victim’s Dodge Caravan.
Inside the residence, deputies located a broken crock-pot on the floor, along with large puddles of liquid. The refrigerator had also been knocked over onto the floor.
Deputies later interviewed the victim, and she explained that Clark had been in a bad mood earlier in the day and had come home from work and started to fight with his brother.
During the fight between Clark and his brother, Clark became convinced that the victim was taking sides against him and directed his anger at her. According to the statement she provided to the deputies, Clark head-butted her in the nose while Clark’s brother fled the house on foot. She further stated Clark went on to hit her repeatedly.
The woman stated that during the altercation, Clark retrieved a gun and held it to her head numerous times before she fled the residence. She stated that she attempted to drive away from the residence in her van and Clark started to throw pieces of concrete at the windows and opened the sliding door and again put the gun against her head and demanded she exit the vehicle.
The victim described the gun as being a 9-mm pistol.
She reported that she tried to walk away from Richard and he fired three shots into the ground near her feet and told her she wasn’t going anywhere.
The victim advised officers that she believes she would have been killed if officers hadn’t arrived when they did.
She was transported to PBRMC by Butler County EMS where she was treated for the laceration she had sustained on the top of her head.