The man who drove a car through an El Cajon motel pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, DUI charges, and more Tuesday.
Scott Richardson struck the Budget Inn Motel on East Main Street on Jan. 10 at around 8 p.m., causing a night clerk to be thrown several feet backward. Surveillance footage shows the moment the car broke through the motel wall.
"Every muscle in my body tensed up," the night clerk, Nate Creekmore, told NBC 7. "I haven't moved that fast in years."
Richardson, 62, was charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and DUI. Records showed Richardson had a previous DUI conviction in Oct. 2010.
He had been told to leave the motel three hours before the collision after a reported fight with his partner, according to Creekmore. Richardson then returned to the motel, allegedly threatening Creekmore.
"I threw him out for drinking and everything like that, and I was just doing my job," Creekmore said. "Who thinks of that? I never thought someone would come back and just drive into the office."
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Richardson was not injured in the crash, though Creekmore could be seen limping away in the surveillance footage.
On the same night, Richardson was accused of causing a “traumatic condition” to his wife Joan Richardson. Records showed he was previously convicted of corporal injury to spouse and/or roommate in Dec. 2018.
Additionally, he allegedly violated a protective order and stay away court order issued as a condition of probation after a conviction involving domestic violence.
A judge set Richardson’s bail at $500,000.
Richardson is expected back in court at the end of the month.
