An Illinois man is being held on $20,000 cash-only bond after police say he crashed into another vehicle in Wright City, fled on foot, and then kicked an arresting officer with steel-toed boots. James Rippy, described as being from Granite City, Illinois, faces charges of third-degree assault of a special victim and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage exceeding $1,000.
According to the Warren County Record, police were dispatched to the area of 223 N. Service Road in Wright City on Oct. 31 after a driver attempted to overtake another vehicle and struck it during the maneuver. Two drivers told police that Rippy made a U-turn after the collision, abandoned his vehicle nearby and fled on foot, the report says.
Disabled Vehicle Led Police to Rippy
Officers located Rippy shortly after finding his disabled vehicle about 200 yards from the crash site, per the outlet's report. The probable-cause statement, as described in the article, says Rippy told police he fled the scene because he was drunk, and that vehicle damage was estimated at more than $1,000.
The same account notes Rippy had a revoked driver's license and past convictions for driving while revoked and driving while intoxicated. The evidence reviewed does not establish whether those prior convictions have any bearing on the current charges.
Alleged Outburst Continued Through Transport
Once in custody, Rippy allegedly escalated the confrontation. The probable-cause statement, as summarized in the report, alleges he kicked the arresting officer with steel-toed boots and made numerous threats toward law enforcement, correctional staff and hospital staff.
The statement further alleges that Rippy slammed his head into the prisoner partition during conveyances between locations and screamed racial slurs while secured with handcuffs behind his back and a lap and shoulder belt, according to the same report. He was reportedly transported to Warren County Jail, then to a medical facility, and back to the jail before his bond was set at $20,000 cash only.
How Missouri Law Treats the Assault Charge
Under Missouri Revised Statutes Section 565.054, text marked effective July 1, 2027, classifies third-degree assault as a class D felony when the victim is a special victim, and a class E felony otherwise.
The case echoes another recent Warren County matter in which Dean A. Preis was charged with second-degree assault, felony resisting arrest and misdemeanor leaving the scene of an accident after allegedly trying to strike a man with a vehicle and then fleeing without providing insurance information, per the Warren County Record's earlier coverage. The outlet's reporting does not establish the current docket status of Rippy's case, including any plea or trial outcome.
