Man causes issues at Theodosia businesses; kicks deputy in stomach, threatens to kill others

Charles David Cole, 66, of Theodosia, is being held in the Ozark County Jail without bond in connection with a July 21 instance in which he allegedly caused property damage at Dustin’s Body Shop and threatened a woman at Grisham’s Garage, both in Theodosia. His charges continued to pile up as he allegedly threatened to kill the officers who arrested him and kicked one deputy in the stomach as he was being loaded into a patrol truck, police reports say. 

An incident at the body shop and tire shop in Theodosia

According to the probable cause statement filed in the case by Ozark County Deputy Stephen A. Ator, at 4:37 p.m. July 21, the Ozark County dispatch office radioed Ator and asked him to respond to Grisham’s Garage in Theodosia. 

This week’s sheriff’s report, see below, shows that the call of a disturbance came in at 4:03 p.m. that Thursday, noting that Cole was causing issues at the tire shop and body shop and was trying to pick a fight with a woman at the tire shop. The person who had called the sheriff’s office explained that Cole was there then arguing with staff. At least one of the business owners wanted to press charges, the report says. 

Ozark County Deputy Matt Rhoades responded, followed by Ator. 

When Ator arrived on scene, Rhoades had already arrested Cole and had him in custody in connection with property damage caused at Dustin’s Body Shop, located nearby. 

The complaint in the case says Cole is alleged to have grabbed a woman by the front of her shirt while holding a pipe and threatened to physically harm her, “put her in her place” and to “smack a [expletive].” 

The complaint also says that Cole “communicated to numerous people at Dustin’s Garage a threat to cause death to people present, yelling at those present at [Dustin’s] Garage an intent to kill everyone present... for the purpose of causing the evacuation,” and “knowingly damaged multiple vehicles located at [Dustin’s] Garage…by intentionally spraying gravel across multiple vehicles while spinning his wheels.”

It says the damage amounted to more than $750, the level in which the charge is a felony. 

Ator offered to transport Cole to the Ozark County Jail for Rhoades. 

While moving Cole from Rhoades’ patrol truck into his own, Ator wrote that Cole began shouting that he was going to kill all of the deputies involved with his arrest.

“At my patrol truck, I opened the front passenger door and instructed Mr. Cole to get into my truck… When Mr. Cole had his butt in my passenger seat, he kicked me in the stomach with his right foot,” Ator wrote. 

On the way from the tire shop in Theodosia to the jail in Gainesville, Cole reportedly shouted many more times that he was going to kill all the deputies involved with his arrest. 

After arriving at the sheriff’s department, Cole was escorted inside where he was booked into the jail and reportedly told Rhoades that he knew exactly where the deputy lived, naming the street and said when he made bail he would kill him.

“Defendant stated to Deputy Matt Rhoades, a law enforcement officer and special victim, that upon his release he would find and kill Deputy Rhoades and his family, and then proceeded to identify Matt Rhoades’ address as to where he would find Matt Rhoades and his family in order to kill them…” the prosecutor’s complaint states. 

Cole is now facing six felony charges: first-degree assault of a special victim, first-degree assault, third-degree assault of a special victim, stalking a law enforcement officer, first-degree terrorist threat and first-degree property damage. 

The first-degree assault charge of a special victim is a class A felony, meaning if Cole is convicted of it he will be sentenced between 10 and 30 years in prison. 

Cole is being charged as a persistent offender, meaning he’s been convicted of two or more felonies in his past. The designation raises the punishment ranges for the charges if Cole is convicted. 

Past felony convictions include a 2002 incident in which he was convicted of second-degree felony assault, a 2013 conviction of resisting arrest and a 2019 conviction of knowingly burning or exploding property. 

Details on Cole’s arraignment has not yet been filed.