Parents charged with interfering in son's assault arrest

BENTON, Mo. -- The mother and stepfather of a Morehouse, Mo., man arrested for armed criminal action and assault on his girlfriend have been charged for interfering in their son's arrest.

Angela N. Graham, 47, is charged with hindering prosecution, concealing an offense and tampering with evidence, according to Scott County Sheriff Rick Walter. Tommy D. Graham, 50, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, concealing an offense and hindering prosecution.

The Sikeston couple's son, Steven J. Webb, 28, of Morehouse was arrested Wednesday on charges of armed criminal action, second-degree assault, first-degree property damage and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

The charges stem from an early Tuesday morning incident where it was reported Webb fired an assault-type rifle into a vehicle while his girlfriend and another person were standing about three feet from it, the sheriff said.

According to the girlfriend, Webb was drinking and became combative when she and his parents would not permit him to leave on his motorcycle. Webb ripped his shirt off, stuffed part of the shirt into the gas cap area of the girlfriend's car and attempted to light the shirt on fire.

Webb then broke the girlfriend's car windshield with a motorcycle helmet and beat the girlfriend's car as well as his mother's vehicle with the ball mount of a trailer hitch, authorities said.

Webb tried to leave in the girlfriend's vehicle, dragging the woman a short distance before stopping.

When Webb got a rifle, he aimed it at the rear of the girlfriend's car where she was standing. Webb reportedly proceeded to do a verbal countdown indicating he was going to shoot. During the countdown, the girlfriend jumped to the side and Webb fired shots into the vehicle and the residence.

According to the girlfriend, Webb said he would not give up his guns and that he would "kill the cops" if they tried to take them.

Walter said his office was not made aware of this incident until about 12 hours after it happened.

Webb was arrested without incident early Wednesday morning.