Man accused of spraying 2 women with caustic liquid deemed competent to stand trial

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man who allegedly sprayed two women with a caustic fluid near the Bear Creek Trail parking lot in March has been deemed competent to stand trial.

Maxon Castle, 23, was charged in Boone County with two counts of second-degree assault. A mental exam was ordered in April and he was deemed competent on Tuesday. He is being held at Boone County Jail without bond and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 11.

He is also charged in Miller County with two counts for unlawful use of a weapon. His next hearing in that case was not listed on Casenet.

According to court documents in previous reporting, two women were hit with a stream of liquid on March 12 that burned and caused red blotches and skin irritations. The burning started again after each woman tried to shower, court documents said. The liquid was described as “caustic,” by police.