Lake City, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – A Lake City man is being held on a $500,000 cash/surety bond after law enforcement said he hit a victim in the head with a hammer during an argument, causing her to go to the hospital.
According to an affidavit, on Oct. 9, Craighead County deputies and Lake City police were dispatched to an unidentified Lake City location for a victim with blood coming from her head.
The victim told law enforcement that she went into the home of 37-year-old Justin Blake Bailey and woke him up for court earlier that morning, leading to an argument. Bailey threw a hammer that struck the victim in the back of the head, she said, knocking her unconscious and causing her head to bleed.
The affidavit said the victim entered Lake City for help. She was later treated in a hospital.
When he arrived at the Craighead County Courthouse, Bailey was arrested. The affidavit said that upon being read his Miranda Rights, Bailey denied any knowledge of the victim being injured and was taken to the Craighead County Detention Center.
There, Bailey admitted to swinging the hammer at the victim’s dog, saying the hammer flew out of his hand and hit the victim, but did not intentionally mean to hurt her, the affidavit said.
The affidavit said that regardless of his statement, Bailey was still being charged due to “the reckless actions resulting in the injury.”
On Oct. 10, Bailey appeared before District Judge David Boling, who found probable cause to charge him with second-degree domestic battering. In addition to the $500,000 bond, Bailey will have to wear a GPS ankle monitor upon release.
Bailey’s next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 18.
