Authorities have identified and charged a man who allegedly assaulted a woman Dec. 8 in the Walgreens parking lot, 3937 Vogel Road, in Arnold.
The suspect, Scott H. Heatherly, 51, of Arnold, was charged today (Dec. 12) with second-degree assault, a class D felony; first-degree property damage, a class E felony; and second-degree property damage, a class B misdemeanor. A $50,000 cash-only bond was set.
However, Heatherly had not been taken into custody as of today.
At about 5:30 p.m. Dec. 8, the victim reportedly was driving a car south on I-55, and Heatherly, driving a pickup, allegedly began following her closely and flashing his lights. The woman exited the interstate and pulled into the Walgreens parking lot, and Heatherly reportedly followed her and pulled in behind her, blocking her in, Arnold Detective Lt. James Jones said.
“He gets out (of his pickup), takes his jacket off, walks up to the woman’s car and yells at her through the window,” Jones said.
He said Heatherly claimed the woman had thrown something from her car, but she denied that.
“(The suspect) started to walk back to his truck, and she (the victim) said something, so he comes back, kicks the car and starts walking back (to his vehicle),” Jones said. “Then, she gets out to take a picture, and he runs at her, tackles her to ground, grabs her phone and throws it.”
When Heatherly was driving from the scene, he reportedly nearly struck the woman with his pickup, Jones said.
He said an off-duty Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputy was at the scene and tried to get Heatherly to stop, but he cursed at the deputy and left.
Jones said the woman had scrapes and contusions but refused treatment at the scene. However, later her husband took her to the hospital.
“Anyone who sees this suspect should not approach him due to his propensity for violence and should contact their local law enforcement department,” Jones said.
If convicted, Heatherly faces maximum penalties of up to seven years in prison for the class D felony, up to four years in prison for the class E felony and up to six months in jail for the class B misdemeanor.