Jonesboro, AR — (JonesboroRightNow.com) — March 28, 2025 — A man seen swinging a sword in a Jonesboro parking lot earlier this week was given a $1 million bond on Friday.
While standing before Judge David Boling on Friday, 40-year-old Richard Matthews of Jonesboro was charged with one count of leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, one count of possession of a firearm by certain person, one count of possession of a defaced firearm, one count of resisting arrest and one count of carrying a weapon.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on March 25, Jonesboro police were dispatched to the area of 1700 Caraway Road regarding a man swinging a sword at cars. Officers later located the man, later identified as Matthews, in a nearby parking lot.
Officers approached Matthews, noting the sword was on the ground. They detained him, after which he began resisting arrest, the affidavit said.
“At one point, [Matthews] lunged towards the sword on the ground and stated, ‘Give it back,'” the affidavit said.
Officers physically restrained Matthews and placed him in a patrol car. According to the affidavit, Matthews could not answer basic questions from the officers.
Meanwhile, other officers found Matthews’s unoccupied vehicle on 1700 S. Caraway Road, which was still in gear and had struck a building. A K-9 officer searched the vehicle and alerted on it. Officers searched it and found a defaced handgun, a .45 caliber magazine and a carrying case for the weapon.
Officers later learned Matthews is a convicted felon and that he was involved in a hit-and-run accident near the Caraway/Nettleton intersection earlier that day.
In addition, a witness told officers that when Matthews left home earlier, he had a suitcase and the sword. Officers later reviewed footage showing Matthews exit his vehicle on Caraway and begin walking around in the roadway before heading to the parking lot.
“Detectives could see Matthews was holding what appeared to be the sword while walking around in this footage,” the affidavit said.
He was taken to a local hospital and later to the Craighead County Detention Center.
Matthews was given a $1 million cash or surety bond. If he makes bond, he must wear a GPS ankle monitor. His next court date is April 24.
