Man allegedly starts fight, gets knife, threatens to ‘kill them all’

An Oliver Springs man allegedly shoved a 13-year-old boy into a vehicle and tried to assault him Monday evening before being forced off the family’s property, but Richard Carl Johnson Jr., 48, later walked up and down a road near the family’s home while carrying a large knife, screaming, and threatening to “kill them all,” authorities said.

The boy’s father and older son had tried to stop the assault at Green Acres Trailer Park, but Johnson allegedly started swinging at them. A brief fight ensued, authorities said. Johnson was hit around his head and face “numerous times” and forced off the property and back across the street, Oliver Springs Police Department Sgt. Charles Graham said in arrest warrants.

Johnson then retrieved the large knife from his home, according to witnesses.

Graham said Johnson was very intoxicated when officers arrived, and he did not cooperate and refused commands, including one to step off his porch to talk to police.

Graham said he found a large black handle-type handsaw with a 14-inch blade hidden in a barbecue grill on the front porch. He said it matched the description of the knife given by witnesses.

Graham said Johnson’s eyes were swollen shut, and there was blood around his nose and mouth. He was taken by ambulance to Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge.

Johnson told police that he had gone to the family’s home “in reference to a puppy,” and he denied that he had had a knife or had pushed anyone, the warrants said.

He was arrested at about 7:34 p.m. Monday and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of aggravated child abuse and neglect, two counts of reckless endangerment, and one count each of unlawfully carrying or possessing a weapon, and public intoxication.

Johnson remained jailed at the Anderson County Detention Facility on Tuesday afternoon, and his bond had not been set. He has a court hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 27, records said.