Woman Arraigned on Assault with Weapon Charge

A 55-year-old St. Clair Shores woman made her first appearance in 40th District Court Friday afternoon to face a charge stemming from her alleged attempt to shoot her roommate. 

Rae Knoderer, of the 22400 block of Lanse Street, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon without intending to commit murder. If convicted she could serve up to four years in prison. 

Judge Mark A. Fratargangeli found probable cause for a preliminary exam, which he set for April 8. 

According to St. Clair Shores police, Knoderer pointed a loaded gun at the chest of a 57-year-old male roommate March 31 and pulled the trigger multiple times. The weapon malfunctioned and did not fire. Police said that before Knoderer pointed the gun, she threatened to kill her roommate and herself. 

Police said the roommate called 911 but Knoderer hung up the phone and dispatchers called back. The man answered the phone and said all was OK, but dispatchers could hear a woman screaming in the background. 

Responding officers found Knoderer screaming and hysterical when they arrived and were unable to calm her down. She told police the roommate battered her and he told police she had been drinking and not sleeping for days. He also said she had been in a manic state for a few days, exhibiting paranoia and thinking everyone was out to get her, according to police reports. 

Two others who lived in the same house—an adult woman and a little girl—moved out the prior night because of Knoderer's erratic behavior and the male roommate helped them move, which he told police is what set Knoderer into hysteria about him. 

The judge set a $10,000 cash bond with provisions of no contact with the victim, alcohol monitoring and a substance-abuse evaluation. Knoderer told the judge she didn't have much money and that she had come to St. Clair Shores to help her daughters. She also noted that she was once a police officer in Columbus, OH, explaining to the judge she would never do something like what was described by a detective. 

Knoderer has no criminal history but a detective noted she was extremely uncooperative throughout the arrest process and they were unable to obtain her fingerprints. 

Throughout the hearing Knoderer had a slight tremor-like shake and her voice was shaky. She tried to offer a conflicting version of the story during a detective's testimony but was quieted by court officers.