Cedar Hill Man Charged Following Altercation With Deputy

A Cedar Hill man was arrested May 7 after an alleged altercation with a Franklin County sheriff’s deputy.

Louis Thomas III, 40, has been charged with third-degree assault, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful use of a weapon, resisting/interfering with arrest, fourth-degree assault and first-degree trespassing.

The incident occurred in St. Clair.

Deputies responded to the 1200 block of Sycamore Lane for a report of a home invasion and shots fired.

The suspect was reported to have fled the area prior to the arrival of deputies. Upon the arrival of a deputy, contact was made with the reporting party, who reported that she had been in the rear bedroom of her residence when a male subject entered her residence. The suspect accused the reporting party of hiding another person within the residence whom he was looking for. The reporting party left the residence when the suspect turned to walk out of the front door. 

As the reporting party was exiting and leaving the property, she heard numerous shots fired in the backyard of her residence. Deputies contacted neighboring residences, searching for witnesses. Neighbors reported hearing the shots, one of which described the suspect as a black male in boxer shorts who left the scene in a blue sport utility vehicle. While processing the scene, deputies located numerous shell casings on the back porch and in the backyard of the residence.  An area canvas was conducted; however, the suspect was not located.

A deputy collected information in its entirety from the victim and moved to a neighboring residence to obtain statements.  While at the neighboring residence, the deputy observed the suspect walking down the road to the victim’s residence.  

The deputy yelled at the suspect to stop, and he needed to speak with him. The suspect sped up his pace, walking towards the victim’s residence. The deputy was able to engage the suspect on the porch of the residence at the front door.  A physical altercation occurred on the porch of the residence between the deputy and the suspect.  

Immediately prior to the altercation, the deputy observed a stock of a rifle sticking out of a large bag the suspect was carrying over his shoulder. The deputy was able to take the bag away from the suspect. The suspect became combative.  

A physical altercation began to ensue between the deputy and the suspect.  A 911 call was made to Franklin Co Missouri 911/Communications regarding the physical altercation between the deputy and suspect, and surrounding law enforcement agencies were dispatched to assist. During the struggle, neighbors who observed the ongoing altercation responded and assisted the deputy with taking the suspect into custody.