Man sentenced to prison for assault of girlfriend
A Pearcy man who assaulted his girlfriend and then rode on the hood of her car while partially clothed as she drove to a nearby gas station last summer was sentenced to six years in prison Monday after pleading guilty in Garland County Circuit Court.
Casey Neal Jones, 27, who has remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bond since his arrest, pleaded guilty to a felony count of aggravated assault while an additional felony charge of rape and misdemeanor counts of third-degree domestic battery and first-degree criminal mischief were withdrawn.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Joe Graham said Monday they had made an offer to Jones if he pleaded guilty to the rape charge, and he made a counteroffer agreeing to plead to the assault charge if they withdrew the rape count. Graham said he consulted with the victim and she agreed to the counteroffer.
Jones, who was set to stand trial Wednesday, will be given credit for time served since his arrest and was ordered to pay $420 in court costs and fees.
According to the affidavit, in the
early morning hours of Aug. 5, Garland County sheriff’s deputies Jon Lane and Roy Elliott responded to a 911 call regarding a disorderly and naked white male at the EZ Mart, 107 Mountain Pine Road,
Upon arrival, they made contact with a female, 31, inside the store who stated her boyfriend, identified as Jones, had fled on foot wearing only a green shirt. The deputies noted the female had injuries to her face, including blood pooling in her right eye, red marks on her throat and scratch marks on both her legs and knees.
She said Jones punched her in the face several times on the drive home after they left a bar in Hot Springs. When they arrived at his residence, he choked her until she lost consciousness. She also alleged Jones forced her to perform oral sex.
She said initially Jones would not let her leave, but finally gave her the keys to her car so she could leave. As she drove away, Jones jumped on the hood of her car wearing only a green shirt.
She then drove to the EZ Mart with Jones still on the hood, parked the vehicle, cracked the window, and yelled for someone to call 911. Jones pulled on the partially open driver’s side window, breaking the glass, and got into the car where he began to hit the victim again. He finally exited the car and fled on foot from the EZ Mart.
Deputies located Jones at his residence a short time later, around 7:30 a.m., and took him into custody. Sheriff’s investigators attempted to interview Jones at the detention center, but he demanded a lawyer so they stopped.