Woman arrested for attack

— Sally Ann Howarth, 49, of Decatur, was arrested on July 22 after allegedly breaking into the home of the elderly woman she was caring for and attacking her.

Decatur police officers Mike Savage and Larry Fiedorowicz responded to a burglary in progress at the home of Dorothy Mae Peterson, at 5:45 a.m., Wednesday. As officers approached the residence, they heard yelling, the sound of glass breaking and metal objects being thrown against a hard surface, according to police reports.

They found Howarth, naked except for a bloody bath towel, leaving the back of the residence. According to police reports, when the two officers asked her what happened, Howarth ominously replied, ÃYouÃ-ll find out.î

When asked how she got blood on the bath towel, she responded, ÃYouÃ-ll find out when you get to the railroad tracks.î

The officers noticed there was a deep cut on HowarthÃ-s hand. Since she was covered with blood and leaving the scene of a crime, the two officers placed her under arrest.

Howarth told the officers she would not allow them to handcuff her and ordered her German Shepherd dog, which was with her, to attack them. Fiedorowicz called the dog to him and began petting it.

After Savage arrested Howarth, Fiedorowicz entered the residence to check on Peterson. Peterson was very upset, but not seriously injured. She told police that she was laying in her bed, about six or seven feet from the

window, when she heard banging noises coming from the pool area.

Howarth appeared in her window and began banging on the glass with her hands before breaking the window. Peterson told police Howarth was shouting, ÃIÃ-ll tear this ... place up where youÃ-ll have nothing,î and, ÃIÃ-ll kill you!î

Peterson went into the bathroom, where she called 911. Howarth entered through a sliding glass door and followed Peterson to the bathroom where she began striking Peterson about the head and shoulders with her hands and fists.

Peterson returned to the bedroom, and Howarth again struck her about the head, the report states. Peterson tried to go for the telephone, but Howarth jerked it out of the wall, along with PetersonÃ-s Life Line alert system. She started knocking everything off the night stand and table and shouting, ÃNow, who are you going to call?î and, ÃCall someone now.î

As she was being arrested, Howarth shouted, ÃDorothy, you know why I did this; you know why,î the report said, stating that she did it for the same reason Michael Jackson died and our troops are fighting in Iraq.

Peterson told police that she had hired Howarth as a parttime caregiver and allowed Howarth to live in her rent house as part of her salary arrangement.

Peterson said she had given Howarth a key to her home, and that she did not know why Howarth had attacked her.

Police found several objects, such as metal decorative bird cages, glass globes and yard ornaments, that had been thrown into the swimming pool.

They also found glass shades on the yard lights broken, along with concrete and plaster yard ornaments, and a sun shade was ripped down and a couple of colored glass panels broken.

Howarth was booked into the Benton County Jail on felony charges of residential burglary, terrorist threatening and criminal mischief, and on misdemeanor charges of assault in the second degree, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

She was later released on citation and admitted into the Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville.

News, Pages 1, 2 on 07/29/2009