A St. Clair man is being held in the Franklin County Jail on felony charges after he allegedly assaulted his 88-year-old grandparents and his father on Saturday night.
James “J.R.” Robert Capehart, 31, was arrested on Saturday and charged on Sunday after the incident that took place shortly before 9 p.m. on Feb. 23 at 165 W. Springfield Road.
According to information from the St. Clair Police Department, officers were dispatched to the address at 8:52 p.m. regarding an assault in progress. When law enforcement arrived on the scene, they found that three individuals had suffered injuries, including head wounds.
Also upon their arrival, officers located Capehart in the kitchen of the residence. He was being held to the floor there by his 66-year-old father, one of the individuals who had suffered the injuries.
According to victim and witness statements, Capehart went into a “rage” inside the residence and started throwing furniture around the home. Reports stated that he then allegedly started striking his grandmother on the head with a .380-caliber pistol as she was attempting to flee down the hallway of the residence while carrying Capehart’s 11-month-old child.
The report also stated that Capehart hit and injured his grandfather with furniture he had thrown.
Both 88-year-olds suffered injuries to their heads and bodies.
At that time, the police report stated, Capehart’s father intervened, and Capehart began striking him on the face and head with the unloaded gun.
Capehart’s girlfriend, Brittany Moore, told The Missourian on Tuesday morning that she saw Capehart hit his grandmother while she was holding the infant. Moore said she then took the child, whom she said was her son, from the grandmother and went to the basement of the home.
She also said that Capehart suffers from a medical condition.
Capehart was arrested at the scene, and the victims were transported to an area hospital, where they were treated and later released.
The police report also stated that drug paraphernalia and marijuana later were seized from the residence, which belongs to Capehart.
Additional charges are being sought for endangering the welfare of the child as well as for the illegal substances found in the home.
A cash-only bond was set at $50,000.
St. Clair Police Chief Bill Hammack told The Missourian that Capehart has an extensive criminal history.
According to case.net, he has pending felony drug charges and separate misdemeanor charges.
