Repeat vandal strikes again, damages two businesses downtown
A local man with a lengthy history of vandalizing downtown businesses and attacking people was arrested again Thursday night after reportedly throwing rocks through windows at two local businesses he has vandalized before.
Richard Thompson Jr., 32, who lists a Lorado Loop address, was taken into custody shortly before
9 p.m. in the 800 block of Central Avenue and charged with a felony count of first-degree criminal mischief, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct.
Thompson was being held on a
$3,000 bond and was set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 8:45 p.m. Thursday, Hot Springs police Officer John Albright responded to the Spencer’s Corner area in the 800 block of Central regarding reports of a Black male “shooting businesses.” It was later determined not to be gunfire, but the sound of the suspect allegedly throwing rocks.
Albright, who was given a description while en route, spotted the man, later identified as Thompson, standing on the sidewalk at the corner of Central and Ouachita avenues, and noted he was “screaming, growling and spitting” as officers tried to approach.
Albright said he made multiple attempts to talk to Thompson and ordered him to get on the ground “approximately five times,” but he refused to comply. Albright displayed his Taser as he continued to tell Thompson to lie down, but he still refused so the officer discharged his Taser, striking Thompson in the upper chest and lower abdomen.
The Taser was successful in incapacitating Thompson, causing him to fall to the ground, where officers were able to take him into custody without further incident. LifeNet responded to assess Thompson and remove the Taser prongs. They also reportedly put a “spit hood” over his head.
Thompson, who is deaf, was cleared by LifeNet and taken to the detention center where they were
unable to complete booking paperwork because of his hearing impairment.
After further investigation by officers at the scene on Central, it was determined Thompson had been throwing rocks into businesses and parked vehicles, “which sounded like gunfire to bystanders in the area.”
Thompson allegedly caused
$400 in damages to Picante’s Mexican Grill, 801 Central, $200 in damages each to two parked vehicles, and $800 worth of damages to the windows at the Maxwell Blade Theatre of Magic, 817 Central.
Thompson was last arrested on March 4, 2020, after hitting a man with a piece of concrete while attempting to vandalize Picante’s. He was charged with a felony count of second-degree battery and disorderly conduct. The felony charge was amended to a misdemeanor count of third-degree battery on May
6 and Thompson pleaded no contest on July 25 and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and ordered to pay $955 in restitution to the victim.
Thompson was previously arrested on Feb. 13, 2020, on felony and misdemeanor warrants for allegedly causing $8,000 in damages to multiple vehicles at Glisson’s Motorsports, 920 Hobson Ave., on Feb. 8 and then attacking the owner, Steve Glisson, the next day, throwing a rock at him and hitting him in the shoulder.
Thompson was charged with a felony count of first-degree criminal mischief, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of third-degree battery, punishable by up to one year in jail. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on Feb. 14, 2020, in district court and was released on a $4,500 bond on Feb. 27.
The charges were later bound over to Garland County Circuit Court and on Feb. 1 Thompson pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with seven years suspended, but after Thompson appeared confused about the sentence and his plea, Circuit Judge Ralph Ohm discarded the plea and set the case for trial on April 19, 2021.
Thompson was previously arrested Sept. 13, 2019, and charged with a felony count of first-degree criminal mischief after breaking two large windows at the Hot Springs Convention Center and cutting the center’s flagpole ropes. He also caused damages at Spencer’s Corner, Picante’s, Enterprise Car Rental, Steinhaus Keller, and the Maxwell Blade Theatre.
Thompson pleaded no contest to an amended misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief in district court on Nov. 8, 2019, via an interpreter and was sentenced to one year in jail, with all but 110 days suspended, and ordered to pay $6,277 in restitution. A court order barring him from contact with all the businesses was also issued.
Thompson previously pleaded no contest on Aug. 28, 2012, in district court to a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief, also involving damages to the convention center, and was sentenced to one year in jail, with all of it suspended except for 36 days, and he was ordered to pay $880 in restitution to the convention center.