Richard Allen Mathis, DOB: 1-22-78, appeared yesterday in Jefferson County District Court where he was sentenced to 20 years in prison for an assault on an RTD driver that included him biting off part of the driver’s ear.
On February 24, 2017 Jefferson County Sheriff deputies were called to Southwest Plaza regarding an assault on an RTD driver. The driver, Kolio Mintchev, had just reached the end of his route and asked Mr. Mathis to leave the bus. Mathis got off. Mr. Mintchev began checking the bus when Mathis got back on and attacked him. Mathis punched Mr. Mintchev in the face and then repeatedly stabbed him with a box cutter. He suffered ten stab wounds. Mr. Mintchev was struggling to wrestle away the box cutter when Mathis bit off a significant portion of his ear.
Mr. Mintchev was able to get the box cutter from Mathis and get off the bus. He locked Mathis in the bus until police arrived. When deputies attempted to take Mathis into custody he was aggressive and combative, kicking at the deputies.
Mr. Mathis said that he was heavily under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the offense.
On August 18, 2018 Mr. Mathis pled guilty to First Degree Assault (F3) and Second Degree Assault (F4). During the sentencing hearing on September 13, District Court Judge Diego Hunt, who imposed the 20 year prison sentence, called the assault a “savage” attack.
This was Mathis was the fourth felony conviction for Mr. Mathis.
