๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ
- Austin
- Aug 4
- 2 min read
๐ซ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐จ๐๐ ๐๐๐
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๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐
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. ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.
On July 29, 2026, officers with the Columbia Police Department responded to the 1500 block of E. Business Loop 70 in Columbia after reports of a man inside a structure on the stack at the municipal power plant. Multiple callers reported that Richard Dean Nichols was inside the structure midway up the stack with his upper body out of a window.
An officer arrived at approximately 6:38 a.m. and observed Nichols inside the structure, approximately 150 feet up. The officer noted that the power plant property is completely fenced, and access points are controlled by gates requiring passcodes. The officer used a patrol car loudspeaker to instruct Nichols to exit the structure and climb down the ladder to the ground. Nichols did not exit the structure until approximately 8:40 a.m.
While on scene, the officer reported seeing Nichols throw multiple items from the window. The officer observed a red metal toolbox on the ground directly beneath Nicholsโ location that had been crushed. A power plant employee confirmed the toolbox had been inside the structure where Nichols was located. The officer also reported seeing Nichols break a light affixed to the outside of the structure. The estimated value of the property damage was listed at $120.
Nichols allegedly told officers he went inside the structure because he wanted to โhave fun.โ Officers noted that Nichols is reportedly homeless.
Nichols is now charged with burglary in the second degree, property damage in the second degree, and obstructing government operations.
๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒย ๐๐ป๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป:
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