A Beaufort man is facing felony charges after deputies say he forced his way into a stranger's home not once but twice, the second time wielding a shovel, before the homeowner fired a warning shot to stop him. Franklin County deputies responded to the 800 block of Wild Rose Lane around 6:42 p.m. on October 15 after a report of a burglary in progress, and arrested 41-year-old Ryan C. Madonna of Beaufort at the scene.
According to KRCG, Madonna had gone to the victim's home to confront them about urinating off their back porch. He allegedly knocked on the back door, and when the victim answered, forced his way into the house. The victim managed to push him back outside before going to retrieve a firearm for self-defense, the station reports.
That was not the end of it. Deputies say Madonna then grabbed a shovel from the victim's own back porch and used it to break through the door and re-enter the home a second time. As he swung the shovel in the victim's direction, the homeowner fired a warning shot near him, according to the station's report. Madonna also allegedly used the shovel to smash out the rear windshield of the victim's car.
Franklin County Sheriff's Office Says Evidence Backs Homeowner's Account
Deputies transported Madonna to the Franklin County Adult Detention Facility following the confrontation, as detailed by the Country Herald. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office said evidence collected at the scene was consistent with the homeowner's account, per the same outlet. The victim told investigators they had never met Madonna before the incident.
Madonna's partner, who was with him that night, gave deputies a different window into how the confrontation started. The partner said they were driving past the victim's home when Madonna made them stop so he could confront the victim, and reported that they did not know the victim and had told Madonna not to go through with it, the station notes.
Three Charges, $75,000 Bond
Madonna was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree property damage and fourth-degree assault. Under Missouri law, fourth-degree assault is classified as a class A misdemeanor, according to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes, even as the burglary and property damage counts carry felony weight in this case.
His bond was set at $75,000 cash only, the Country Herald reports. As with any pending case, Madonna is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court, the outlet notes.
