Charles Jerome Crutchfield, 64, of Arnold has been charged with four felonies for allegedly attacking an Arnold employee and another man last month, court records show.
Crutchfield was arrested July 22 in Illinois, and Arnold Police were waiting for him to be extradited to Missouri, Capt. Rich Shular said July 29.
The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has charged Crutchfield with two counts of second-degree assault – special victim, each one a class B felony punishable by five to 15 years in prison, and two counts of armed criminal action, an unclassified felony punishable by no less than three years in prison. The two assault charges are considered assault on special victims because the alleged victims are classified as elderly, court records said.
The alleged victims were Larry Mercer, 76, of Arnold, who works as a part-time inspector for the city of Arnold, and a 74-year-old Arnold man.
The incident occurred at about 11:45 a.m. July 16 outside a vacant home in the 2600 block of Georgia Drive, officials reported.
Mercer went to the home after the city received a complaint about overgrown grass. When Mercer arrived at the property, the 74-year-old man joined him to review the complaint, Arnold Police reported.
While the two were inspecting the property, Crutchfield came out of a home next to the vacant house. Crutchfield, who reportedly was carrying a baseball bat, allegedly hit Mercer, causing the inspector to fall and hit his head on the pavement, the probable-cause statement in the case said.
The statement does not make it clear if Crutchfield used the bat to allegedly assault the inspector. However, the report says Crutchfield hit the 74-year-old on the right arm and left leg with the bat. After the alleged attack, which reportedly was recorded by a residence’s surveillance camera, Crutchfield barricaded himself in his home, according to the probable-cause statement.
When police arrived at the scene, Crutchfield didn’t respond to their attempts to contact him, so officers were unable to determine if Crutchfield was still inside the home, and he was not arrested at that time, the report said.
Mercer and the other alleged victim were transported to an area hospital. The 74-year-old was treated and released July 16, Arnold Police said.
Arnold City Administrator Bryan Richison said Mercer returned to work today (Aug. 3).