O'Fallon Man Arrested After Threatening Wife with Weapon

An O’Fallon man is being charged with unlawful use of a weapon after he placed a handgun on his kitchen counter and told his wife she had five minutes before he would kill her.

Richard Ottersbach, 54, of the 1500 block of Indian Springs Drive, and his wife were arguing April 3 about his drinking and previous assaults on her. He became enraged, broke three dishes by throwing them in the sink and then threw a broom and a dust pan at his wife, according to an report.

He then went upstairs to retrieve a loaded .380 cal ACP handgun onto the kitchen counter and said she had five minutes until he killed her, the report reads. The woman ran to a neighbor’s house to call 911. O’Fallon Police arrested Ottersbach and found the loaded handgun in the laundry room.

Ottersbach confessed that he threw the broom and dust pan at his wife, but said he blacked out and doesn’t remember anything more, according to the report.

Police found a large number of rifles, submachine guns and loaded handguns at the residence. They also found marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Bond was set at $40,000 cash only.