CARUTHERSVILLE -- A Caruthersville city employee was stabbed by a man brandishing a knife at City Hall.
At 11:15 a.m. Thursday, Caruthersville Police were called to City Hall, 200 W. Third St. En route to the scene officers were notified one person, later identified as Elizabeth Hardesty of Caruthersville, was stabbed and the assailant had fled, according to Caruthersville City Marshal Tony Jones.
Officers initially received a description that the assailant was a black male and began canvassing the area in search of the subject. After questioning several people, officers were advised to talk with man sitting on the steps at 308 Highland Avenue.
"The officer began to ask the subject identified as being Richard Jaworski of Caruthersville if he had seen anyone fitting the description walking fast or running the area of the City Hall," Jones said in a news release. "Jaworski, a white male subject, admitted to the officers that he had stabbed the lady at the City Hall because she was the blame for his water being shut off."
Jaworski was then taken into custody.
According to Jones, Jaworski also made statements about other city employees. He stated while investigating at the scene, officers learned Jaworski had also thrown a knife at City Clerk Meldina Scifres.
Jaworski is being held in the Pemiscot County Justice Center with no bond set at this time. He is charged with two counts of first degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and first degree burglary and is scheduled to be in court on Monday.
Hardesty was flown to The Med in Memphis, Tenn., for treatment of numerous stab wounds to the body.
No other city employee was injured in the incident, Jones said.