Rusty Richards, (Buffalo County Jail, Courtesy)
KEARNEY — A Kearney man faces amended charges in Buffalo County District Court after he drove through backyards at the Countryside Trailer Park and then threatened to harm himself and police officers with a knife.
Rusty Richards, 34, had been charged with use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, Class 2 felony; resisting arrest – first offense, Class 1 misdemeanor; obstructing a peace officer, Class 1 misdemeanor and willful reckless driving – first offense, Class 3 misdemeanor.
The amended charges now include three counts of an attempt of a Class 3 felony, Class 4 felony; two counts of possession of a deadly weapon by a prohibited person, Class 3 felony; terroristic threats, Class 3A felony; use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, Class 2 felony and resisting arrest, second offense, Class 3A felony.
Richards’ arraignment has been set for May 17 at 9 a.m. and a final plea or pre-trial hearing has been set for June 10 at 1:30 p.m. His bail remains 10 percent of $250,000.
According to court documents, on March 14, officers with the Kearney Police Department were dispatched to Countryside Trailer Park, Lot H to conduct a welfare check on Richards who was reported to be breaking items inside a trailer and had possibly taken a handful of prescription pills.
When officers contacted Richards, they reported he was, “very belligerent,” and slammed the door on officers. They reported they could hear him breaking more items inside the trailer.
Richards emerged from the trailer again and officers reported he said he had taken the pills and if the officers came inside the trailer that he would fight, and officers would have to shoot him.
Richards then got into a vehicle departed from his residence at a high rate of speed, driving through several backyards in the area.
Police said he then pulled back into the trailer park and drove at officers at a high rate of speed, “to the point we felt he was going to ram the marked patrol cars.” Officers had to get out of the way to avoid being struck by Richards as he drove by.
The vehicle was located a short time later outside of another trailer in Courtside, Richards emerged armed with a knife and was holding it up to his throat. He also had a baseball bat in his possession.
Officers made lengthy attempts to de-escalate the situation, both by the responding officers and later by police negotiators.
Richards then made cuts to his own throat and neck and kept going in and out of the trailer, where it was known his mother was inside at the time.
“He was highly volatile, belligerent, aggressive and his intentions were unknown, however he had made it clear that he would do ‘suicide by cop’,” court documents stated, “He made multiple attempts to harm himself and later on threatened to harm and kill officers, and toward the end acted as if he was going to chuck the knife at officers.”
Multiple commands were given to Richards to comply and given ample time to do so as the incident unfolded over the course of three hours.
“This was a very dynamic incident and created a substantial danger to the public as well as responding officers,” stated court documents.
Richard was ultimately able to be taken into custody by members of the Emergency Service Unit. Following a medical clearance at CHI Health Good Samaritan hospital, he was booked into the Buffalo County Jail.
