Jessiveille man who allegedly broke woman’s leg arrested
A Jessieville man was arrested Wednesday on felony and misdemeanor warrants for allegedly breaking his wife’s leg last month.
John Fredrick Ensminger, 52, was taken into custody shortly after 3 p.m. and charged with second-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, first-degree terroristic threatening, punishable by up to six years, and third-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to one year. He bonded out and is set to appear Oct. 4 in Garland County District Court.
According to the affidavit, the victim filed a report on Aug. 28 about an assault that allegedly occurred Aug. 16 around 6 p.m. She said Ensminger, her husband, pulled her out of her chair by her hair and threw her around the room “like a doll.” She said Ensminger also punched and elbowed her in the left side of her face. She went to bed after Ensminger stopped assaulting her, but then he pulled her off the bed by her feet, slammed her against the wall and began to choke her, causing her to lose consciousness.
The victim said she did not recall anything else from that night, but woke up in her car with her daughter driving her to Malvern. She waited a week to seek medical treatment because “she was afraid.” The victim said Ensminger told her, “he would kill her before he let her leave him and that he was not going to lose his job or go to jail.”
The victim suffered injuries including a broken right leg, fractured left orbital socket, sprained right elbow, bruises on her stomach, back and legs, and bruising and swelling to the left side of her face.
She reported a second incident that allegedly occurred on Aug. 24, after Ensminger found out the victim sought medical treatment. She said he grabbed her by the arms, throwing her around the room several times. In the second attack, the victim reportedly sustained bruises on her upper arms, thighs, lower back and right side. She was also observed to have a cast on her right leg.
• A Hot Springs couple were arrested Wednesday morning after allegedly battering each other with multiple objects.
Steven Allen Hayes, 39, and Nicole Leighann Hayes, 39, of 112 Piney Loop, were taken into custody shortly after 8:30 a.m. and each charged with third-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to one year in jail. Steven Hayes bonded out, but Nicole Hayes remained in custody Thursday in lieu of zero bond. They are set to appear Oct. 10 in district court.
According to the affidavit, Nicole Hayes said she and her husband, Steven Hayes, were arguing and he threw her against a wall and began hitting her. She said he dragged her through the house and into the front yard where he threw her to the ground. He fled the scene and she called 911. Garland County sheriff’s deputies noted Nicole Hayes had abrasions and bruises to her face, neck, back and arms.
Steven Hayes returned to the residence and told a deputy that Nicole Hayes had returned home the night before at 10:45 p.m. after being gone all weekend. He said she kicked in the front door to their residence and started arguing and then took picture frames off the walls and threw them at him. She also grabbed a BB gun and hit him in the head and while lunging at him with a screwdriver, scratched him on his right side, he said.
Steven Hayes was observed to have scratches and cuts on his forearms, a small knot and a cut on his head from the BB gun, and had scratches on his arms, legs and back from the thrown picture frames.
He said he pushed Nicole Hayes several times to get away from her and finally left the residence to take his kids to school. Nicole Hayes said she only hit him to protect herself.