Hot Springs hotel patron faces battery charge

HOT SPRINGS — A Las Vegas woman was arrested Jan. 2 on a felony battery charge stemming from allegations she had attacked her 76-year-old boyfriend in the lobby of the local hotel where they were staying.

Chelsy Leigh Jackson, 33, was taken into custody at the Hot Springs Village Inn, 4429 Arkansas 7 north, shortly before 1:30 p.m. and charged with second-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, based on the victim’s injuries and his age being over 60.

Jackson was initially held without bail and appeared via video Wednesday in Garland County District Court where she pleaded not guilty to the charge with a felony review hearing set for Feb. 16.

Judge Joe Graham set her bail at $2,500 with the agreement of the victim under the condition she seek mental health treatment. She was later released, but a court order was issued barring her from contact with the victim.

Jackson lists no prior local felony history, but had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated, first offense, in Garland County on Dec. 10, 2012, and was sentenced to one year in jail, all suspended.

According to the probable cause affidavit on Tuesday’s arrest, Garland County sheriff’s Deputy Candice Presley responded to the hotel and spoke with the victim in the lobby.

He stated his “on and off girlfriend of six years,” identified as Jackson, is “suffering from mental illness” and he has been trying to help her. He said Jackson “got mad at him” and came to the lobby where he was and started yelling at him.

The hotel manager told Presley she saw Jackson enter the lobby and yell at the victim and then start hitting him, prompting her to call 911. It was noted Jackson kept yelling at the victim even after he was trying to calm her down.

The victim asked Jackson several times not to hit him, but she allegedly struck him multiple times in the face and on the back of the head, causing his glasses to fall off and break on the floor.

Presley noted the victim had a scratch on the right side of his face and blood on the back of his head, which he confirmed were caused by Jackson. She noted there were two lacerations in the back of his head.

At that point, Jackson was taken into custody and transported to the Garland County jail.