A 38-year-old Arnold man has been accused of sexually assaulting and later pointing a gun at a 24-year-old Arnold woman. The alleged incidents occurred April 24, Arnold Police reported.
Officers got at call at about 10:30 a.m. from the woman, who said she was arguing with the man in the parking lot at Walmart, 2201 Michigan Ave., when he allegedly pointed a gun at her and then left with their son. She said the man left in a sliver Ford F-150, the report said.
Police found the man at a home in the 1500 block of Jacqueline Drive, where he was with the boy, as well as a 2-year-old boy and 10-year-old boy, according to the report.
Surveillance video from the store reportedly showed the man and woman in the parking lot that morning, but it did not show the man pointing a gun at the woman. When police talked to the man at the home on Jacqueline Drive, he told them he could not have a gun because he is a convicted felon, the report said.
When police searched the home they allegedly found marijuana in the man’s bedroom but no gun. However, when neighbors moved their vehicle, a gun was spotted on the neighbor’s driveway where the vehicle had been, and police believe the gun may have been the suspect’s, according to a report.
The children were turned over to Children’s Division, and the man was arrested and taken to the Police Station, where he was held for 12 hours and then released pending application for warrants, the report said.
While the man was at the Police Station, the woman called police at about 7:30 p.m. and told officers the man also had sexually assaulted her that morning in the home on Jacqueline Drive. She told officers she was afraid to say anything about the alleged sexual assault earlier, according to the report.
She was taken to Mercy Hospital South in south St. Louis County to be examined.
Capt. Rich Shular said the woman’s claims were still under investigation as of May 7. He said Arnold Police may seek charges against the man through the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for second-degree assault domestic, possession of marijuana, child abuse and neglect, and second-degree rape