Woodstock man armed with six throwing knives arrested after spraying officers with fire extinguisher, police say

A Woodstock man accused of wielding throwing knives and spraying multiple police officers with a fire extinguisher remained at the McHenry County Jail Wednesday.

The Woodstock Police Department responded Saturday to a group home in the 500 block of Clay Street, where they were met with a 24-year-old man who was holding a “throwing knife,” court records show.

The man, identified by police as Michael D. Richardson, gestured at one of the officers as though he were going to throw the knife and then shut the door on police, Woodstock Deputy Police Chief Jeffrey Parsons said.

When shielded officers forced their way into the room, Richardson sprayed them with a fire extinguisher and was knocked to the ground with a ballistic shield, Parsons said. No one was injured.

Richardson had a total of six throwing knives on him at the time of his arrest, Parsons said. He also is accused of smashing the headlights on a Ford E-350 van at the property and damaging two laptops in the home as well as the partition in the back of the police squad car, court records show.

Richardson is charged with aggravated battery to a police officer, aggravated assault to a police officer, criminal damage to government property, possession of burglary tools, and criminal damage to property.

He would need to post $5,000 bail to secure his release from the county jail.

A bond hearing that was scheduled for Richardson’s case on Wednesday morning was continued to Jan. 12.