HARRISVILLE – On Jan. 6, Richard Raymond Coutts Jr., 42 was arraigned in 81st District Court in Alcona and was denied bond.
On Jan. 5, Deputies from the Alcona County Sheriff’s Office started an investigation into Coutts Jr., after numerous crimes took place from Dec. 25, 2020 to Jan. 5, 2021.
The investigation began after Coutts live-in girlfriend fled to the Sheriff’s office lobby to get away from Coutts. An investigation discovered that the 51-year-old female, of Barton City, was the victim of the numerous crimes.
The investigation revealed that beginning on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, Coutts held the victim at knifepoint, would not allow her to leave and stole cash from her to buy drugs. Coutts also physically assaulted the victim on two separate occasions between Dec. 25 and Jan. 4. Coutts then took the victim’s vehicle by force and refused to return it when the victim demanded.
On Jan. 5, Coutts again held the victim at knifepoint and threatened to kill her if she did not drive Coutts to a residence in Oscoda Township where he wanted to kill a resident there. The victim was able to get away from Coutts when he got out of the vehicle at a local store to buy alcohol and cigarettes. While Coutts was in the store and out of sight, the victim sped away and drove directly to the Alcona County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies, along with a trooper from the Michigan State Police (MSP) Alpena Post and an officer of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, responded to the residence in Barton City, Coutts was not there. Deputies were able to discover that Coutts had been given a ride by another individual to a residence in Oscoda Township.
The Oscoda Township Police Department (OTPD) were responding to that residence for threats Coutts was making there. Coutts had fled the scene upon the officers arrival. He was located at another residence shortly after by officers from the OTPD, deputies from the Alcona County Sheriff’s Office and troopers from the MSP West Branch Post and taken into custody.
He was charged for incidents from Dec. 25-Jan. 4. On incidences occurring between Dec. 25 and Jan. 4, he was charged with armed robbery, unlawful imprisonment, interfering with telecommunications, two counts of third offense domestic violence and unlawful driving away with a motor vehicle.
For an incident that occurred on Jan. 5, he was charged with a felonious assault with a dangerous weapon, third offense domestic violence, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer and malicious use of telecommunications.
Coutts was transported to the Alcona County Jail. When he was brought into the jail, Coutts continued to be aggressive towards officers, deputies and correctional staff, assaulting one of the officers. Coutts was arraigned on Jan. 6, in 81st District Court and held without bond.
