|
Court Date Set For A Man Accused Of Hammer Beating |
|
|
Friday, 23 October 2009 |
A Bryant man accused of hitting a woman with a hammer and threatening her life is expected to appear in court on Dec. 2.
Justin Garrett Landreth, 25, will appear before Benton District Judge Mike Robinson on charges of felony aggravated assault on a household member, felony terroristic threatening, possession of an instrument of crime, and public intoxication. Bryant Animal Control Officer Rebecca Fitch said numerous animals were found in the home “not in ideal conditions.” She said an investigation is being conducted, but did not say if charges would be filed against Landreth.
Employees of the Saline County jail said Landreth posted out of jail on Tuesday with a $25,000 bond.
Just after 7 a.m. Sunday, Bryant police responded to the 200 block of Flintstone Drive after a neighbor said a woman was screaming for help and knocking on his door. The neighbor and said Landreth hit her in the face with a claw hammer. Officer Toney Green said the woman was found on the neighbor’s bathroom floor crying. Green said the woman’s entire left check and left jaw bone area was swollen. She had red and purple marks under her left eye.
Cpl. David Miller said the woman’s face was severely bruised, her eye was nearly swollen shut and she said Landreth hit her with a hammer.
The woman said Landreth was still inside her home.
When Green went back to the home he said he heard a loud voice say, “Come on big boy, lets get it on!”
Landreth met Miller in the middle of the yard where he was taken into custody. Miller and Green said that Landreth had a strong odor of intoxicants.
After placing Landreth in the patrol car, Green said he later opened the door to check on him. Green said Landreth said, “I am going to kill her when I get out.”
Miller said when he entered Landreth’s home to search for the claw hammer, the “odor of animal feces was nearly unbearable,” and feces were seen throughout the home. Miller said a drug paraphernalia was also in plain view.
Green said two pit bulls and two kittens were in the home.
Bryant Animal Control responded to the scene and took custody of the dogs and cats as well as a small frog terrarium, small spider terrarium, and a large monitor terrarium. Reportedly, as animal control officers pulled back a terrarium, dozens of large roach like bugs scurried along the back wall.
Miller said the woman was taken to Saline Memorial Hospital and went home around 3:30 a.m. Sunday to find Landreth upset. The woman said during an argument Landreth struck her, held her down and choked her. Miller said the woman’s throat had markings “that appeared she had been choked” and her arms had bruises in the shape of fingers.
The woman said she believes she was knocked unconscious, but woke up, saw him go to a back room to retrieve a claw hammer and said he was going to kill her. She also said he struck her in the back with a baseball bat.
The woman told Miller she was able to escape and ran to the neighbor’s home, where police were called.
|
Razorbacks
