A former elementary school teacher charged with sexually assaulting two children is expected to appear in court this morning, accused of carjacking a woman in east Houston while trying to flee police.

Timothy Ryan Richert, 38, originally was charged last August with aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child involving a 5-year-old victim. He later was released after posting a $40,000 bail.

On Tuesday, police said, he fled behind a garage apartment in the 4300 block of Polk as officers arrived at his home to take him into custody on four new child sex assault charges. Minutes later, according to court records, a young man who lived in a house behind Richert told police his neighbor tried to kick in his front door.

Investigators said Richert then jumped in to a car with a woman who was returning home. He demanded that she drive him away, she said.

Prosecutors filed a charge of kidnapping after the woman told police she was in fear for her life because of Richert's demeanor. He did not brandish a weapon.

She said Richert jumped out of the car about a mile away and later was apprehended at a Houston motel, officials said. He is being held in the Harris County jail without bail.

Police recovered a pistol from Richert's vehicle. He has a license to carry a concealed weapon.

New sex allegations

The most recent sexual assault charges stem from allegations from a second victim, an 8-year-old girl, who came forward in February while authorities investigated Richert.

Assistant District Attorney Justin Keiter said Richert was charged Tuesday on three counts of continuous sexual assault of a child and one of super-aggravated sexual assault of a child.

Typically, a super-aggravated offense is a combination of a first-degree sexual assault committed on a child under the age of six.

The enhanced charges are products of new laws that carry a minimum of 25 years in prison without chance of parole or diminution of the sentence.

“Even if you've never gotten a traffic ticket before, there's no probation, no deferred adjudication. There's just prison time — 25 years, day for day,” Keiter said.

Richert's attorney did not return calls for comment.

The former Brookline Elementary third-grade teacher resigned from Houston Independent School District in January 2001, days after allegations surfaced that he digitally penetrated a 10-year-old student several times under a blanket during different “movie times.”

He was charged with sexual assault of a child. The charges later were dismissed at the request of the girl.

Richert began working for HISD on Jan. 6, 1997. He was a bilingual teacher for two years, then became a third-grade teacher. State officials revoked Richert's teaching certificate in 2007. It was unclear Wednesday how Richert now makes a living.

Chronicle reporter Ericka Mellon contributed to this story.

brian.rogers@chron.com