A Ferguson man is behind bars without bond after police say he knocked his mother to the floor, choked her and struck her in the head with a firearm at his home on October 6. He also faces charges tied to a house fire set months earlier on Marcel Court. Corell C. Richardson now faces first-degree assault and first-degree arson charges stemming from the two incidents.
Police said Richardson was arrested a short time after the alleged assault on his mother, according to FOX 2. Officers allege he knocked her to the floor, held her down by the throat, and struck her in the head with a firearm before leaving the scene. The weapon was later found in a trash can next to the door Richardson had used to leave, police said.
A February Fire Traced Back to Richardson
Investigators also connected Richardson to an arson that happened on the evening of February 13 at a residence on Marcel Court, per the same report. Police allege Richardson lit the front doormat on fire while three people were inside the home. Officers who responded found smoke and smoldering material coming from the porch floor and the front door frame, and firefighters had to take the door frame apart to fully extinguish the blaze.
A witness reportedly saw Richardson pouring gasoline on the side of the house. Police said Richardson made statements about burning the home down and wanting to see burned bodies.
Charges and Prior Record
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Richardson with first-degree arson and first-degree assault, the station's report states. Under Missouri law, first-degree arson is classified as a class B felony unless someone suffers serious physical injury or dies as a result of the fire or explosion set by the person, or as a result of a fire or explosion started in an attempt to produce methamphetamine, according to the Missouri Revisor of Statutes.
Police said Richardson has prior convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, receiving stolen property and possession of a controlled substance. He remains jailed without bond, with a bond reduction hearing scheduled for Thursday and a preliminary hearing set for November 5.
