Lang
9/15/23
A Coralville man faces charges that he pulled a shotgun on an Iowa City family and threatened to kill them.
Iowa City Police were called to an address on Dover Street just after midnight Friday morning for a subject holding a shotgun. Responding officers were told that 41-year-old Matthew Richards of the Western Hills Estates manufactured housing community had been banging on the back door of the residence and demanding a woman inside come out to speak with him. When the woman refused, Richards reportedly aimed a loaded shotgun at the woman through an open window while claiming he would kill the whole family. One of the woman’s children was in the room with her at the time.
The woman fled with her two children to a back room, locked the door, and called 9-1-1. Police say Richards tried driving away from the scene, but he was stopped by responding officers. Richards reportedly showed signs of intoxication and performed poorly on field sobriety testing. A loaded shotgun was allegedly found inside the vehicle.
Richards was arrested and charged with three counts each of 1st Degree Harassment and Assault While Participating in a Felony and one count each of Possession of a Weapon While Intoxicated, Going Armed With Intent, Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, Person Ineligible to Carry Firearms, Operating While Intoxicated, Driving While Denied or Revoked and Public Intoxication. If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of over 39 years in prison.