BAINBRIDGE – A Bainbridge man charged with assaulting his wife after a three-hour standoff Thursday had another recent run-in with the law – he was arrested less than two weeks ago for two violent felonies, kidnapping and armed burglary.
Michael D. Richardson, 33, surrendered to police negotiators outside his residence Thursday in the Village of Bainbridge and was later charged with felony second degree assault.
State Police responded to the Thursday’s incident in force, knowing of Richardson’s recent arrest for multiple violent felonies.
“We are familiar with this subject and about 10 days ago this individual was arrested for second degree kidnapping,” said New York State Police Captain James E. Barnes after troopers had taken Richardson into custody.
Bainbridge Police Chief Casey Caratelli discussed an incident that occurred recently involving Richardson. He recalled its details Thursday and provided a copy of a statement issued to local media outlets Dec. 1.
The Village of Bainbridge Court issued a warrant for Richardson’s arrest on Nov. 23 for charges of first degree burglary, second degree kidnapping and second degree criminal mischief, all felony-level offenses.
Caratelli said Richardson’s wife, the same victim allegedly involved in Thursday’s incident, had come to the police station looking for help after she claimed she had been assaulted in a domestic violence incident.
When she was unwilling to press charges or cooperate with an investigation, Chief Caratelli said officers were unable to make an arrest. A few days later, the woman, whom Caratelli said has sole custody of the couple’s four children, took them to her mother’s house without telling Richardson.
Caratelli said Richardson apparently grew angry when his wife and children didn’t come home and went to his mother-in-law’s house in search of his family, armed with an 8-inch kitchen knife.
No one was home when he arrived and he allegedly kicked in the home’s front door. He then reportedly entered the home armed with the knife, an action which led to the first degree burglary charge.
Caratelli said Richardson slashed at furniture and walls, threw a chair into a window, smashed a plasma television with a coffee table, tore the door off a refrigerator, tipped over the stove and raged through the home, causing over $10,000 in damages. Police said they took several photographs of the damage during their investigation.
A 45 year-old tenant living upstairs heard the commotion and walked downstairs to witness Richardson destroying the property, said the Bainbridge chief. That later led to the second degree criminal mischief charge.
The tenant, who was familiar with Richardson, later told police in a written statement he heard Richardson threaten to “kill” and “massacre” his family.
The victim told police he was ordered by Richardson to accompany him in the search for his family. According to the victim’s statement, he was in fear of his life and complied with Richardson’s request, which led to the charge of second degree kidnapping.
The two men traveled to Richardson’s mother’s home in an attempt to locate the children before traveling to a nearby business. The victim then fled and called 911, according to police.
Richardson was arrested Nov. 30, seven days after a warrant was issued for kidnapping, burglary and mischief. Bainbridge Police eventually apprehended him at his Johnson Street residence, where he was hiding out with his wife, Thursday’s alleged victim.
Following his arrest, Richardson was remanded to the Chenango County Correctional Facility without bail by the Bainbridge Village Court.
In between the time of the incident and Richardson’s arrest, Caratelli said the victims and witnesses in the case offered new and different statements than the ones originally given to authorities.
On Dec. 2, the Chenango County grand jury met and Richardson’s case was reviewed by the Chenango County District Attorney’s Office. The case was never presented to the grand jury and was instead returned to local court with the burglary and kidnapping felonies reduced to a non-felony criminal mischief charge.
“After consultation with the complaining witnesses, who have a personal relationship with the defendant, there were issues with the proof in the case,” said District Attorney Joseph McBride. He said he could not comment further on an open case and that the matter was in the hands of the Bainbridge court.
When the charges were reduced, the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office reported Richardson was released from jail after posting $2,000 cash bail on Dec. 3.
The current charge against the Bainbridge man, second degree assault, is a D class felony, carrying a maximum sentence of seven years in state prison.
Following his arrest yesterday, Richardson was arraigned before Town of Bainbridge Justice Steven W. Klugh and remanded to the Chenango County jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.