Columbia man accused of cutting woman’s throat gets arson charge added after grand jury indictment

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man who was accused of stabbing a woman on July 10 had an additional felony charge filed after a grand jury indictment on Friday.

Michael Anthony James, 55, is charged with first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action and first-degree arson. He was previously charged with first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action.

He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment for the new set of charges is set for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 12.

According to the probable cause statement, James had cut the woman’s throat with a knife and she was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. Court documents say the victim needed emergency surgery.

Police were called to the 1100 block of West Broadway around 6 a.m. and saw the victim with “copious amounts of blood” on their clothes and a cut on their neck, the statement says. James was found in the 1400 block of Gary Street and tried to run from police when they told him to stop, the statement says.

The arson charge was added after court documents claim James knowingly started a fire that damaged the apartment.