Nicole Jones gave Christopher Collier a drag for his birthday

[Coyote]

Have you ever had a bad birthday?

YELLVILLE, Ark. -- Marion County sheriff's deputies arrested a woman this week who they believe dragged a man down Arkansas 14 for about 1,400 feet -- a little more than a fourth of a mile. Nicole Jones, 24, of Lakeway is charged with first-degree battery and could face an attempted murder charge if investigators find more information.

Marion County Sheriff Roger Vickers says someone called 911 early Sunday about a man who was in their home on County Road 8050 and appeared to have beaten up and possibly shot. After they arrived, the deputies said, the injured man, Christopher Collier, said he didn't want to go to jail for driving a stolen pickup.

Deputies learned Collier was dragged down the highway in front of Lakeway Fire Station. He then ran to a nearby home and went inside to try to get help. Finding no one at home, Collier said he stole a pickup from the front yard.

While driving down the road, Vickers said, Collier met an oncoming vehicle, stopped it and asked the people inside for help. They put him in the back of the pickup and took him to their home and called 911. A helicopter ambulance took Collier to a hospital in Springfield, where the sheriff says he has serious injuries. It turns out Collier was assaulted on his birthday.

Vickers said Jones isn't the only suspect for the assault on Collier. He says more arrests are anticipated, possibly three more. Jones is free on bond.

The sheriff says what led up to the incident is still under investigation, but it does appear to be drug-related.

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[jenthgr8]

Dude. That's a pretty fucked up birthday. I feel so bad for this guy. It's lucky he survived.

[lundwall1]

That's a bad bad fucken birthday

[Coyote]

Four more people total have been arrested in this case, but I currently can’t find anything other than this one. This article gives a little more info on the case, as well as information that the victim was a low-level registered sex offender. I’m still waiting on more info.

YELLVILLE — Marion County Sheriff Roger Vickers said a second arrest has been made in connection with the assault of a man who was beaten and dragged behind a vehicle in the Lakeway area last month.

Vickers said James Bennett, 19, of Yellville was arrested recently for criminal attempt to commit capital murder. He was released after posting a $50,000 bond through a local bonding company.

Nichole Jones, also known as Nichole Murphy, 24, of Lakeway had already been arrested and faces the same charges, Vickers said. She also was released after posting bond through a bondsman.

According to Vickers, officers learned that Collier had been tied behind a vehicle and dragged about 1,400 feet on Highway 14.

Collier’s grandfather, Edwin Boudreau, who said Collier lived with him, said there was a blood trail about 35 yards long on Highway 14 after the incident.

Boudreau said Collier had just turned 24 on Aug. 22. He said Collier was lured to a house sometime after midnight, where he was beaten, tied up and dragged behind the vehicle.

Collier was airlifted to St. John’s Regional Health Center in Springfield, Mo. Vickers said he was being held in the burn unit due to injuries from being dragged on the pavement.

Boudreau said skin was missing from his grandson’s hands, feet, knees and even face.

Vickers thinks drugs could somehow be involved in the incident or it could even be a romantic involvement gone wrong. Although Collier is a low-level registered sex offender, Vickers didn’t know if that was connected to the alleged assault.

Source

[Chaindrive]

Hmmmm.

What is a low-level RSO?

[Lynntoast]

Hmmmm.

What is a low-level RSO?

I believe that is one not likely to reoffend.

[Chaindrive]

I wonder what the criteria for that is.

[Vanik]

Low level RSO, and someone standing up for him? Go figure. Not likely to re-offend my ass.

I'm betting this is something related to him being a sex offender and one ticked off parent. Going back to the old ways, maybe?

Just throwing it out there that I wouldn't hesitate to do the same exact shit if they did anything mildly inappropriate with my family. As, I'm sure, most of you all have said you'd do the same damn thing.

[Misskittychaos]

Would statutory rape fall into the "low level" RSO? Just curious.

[Coyote]

Suspect’s house burned to ground

Marion County Sheriff Roger Vickers said investigators are looking into the arson of the home of one of the suspects in last month’s dragging assault of a Lakeway man.

According to Vickers, one of his deputies was on his way to a call at Peel after midnight Sunday morning when he saw flames off of Highway near Welcome Ridge Road at Lakeway.

Those flames were coming from the house where 24-year-old Nichole Jones, also known as Nichole Murphy, told police she’d been living.

“There’s no doubt about that it’s arson,” he said. “It burned it to the ground.”

Vickers said someone had shot Jones’ dog and poured accelerants on the house. No one was home at the time.

That house is where all five suspects had congregated the night they allegedly beat Christopher Collier, 24, and dragged him about 1,400 feet behind a pickup on Highway 14, Vickers said.

Gregg Bryant, 20, Martin Zobus, 31, Felisha Besse, 21, all of rural Boone County, James Bennett, 19, of Yellville and Jones have all pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal attempt to commit capital murder and first degree battery in the case, Vickers said.

He said Jones, Bennett and Bryant have all been released on bond, but Besse and Zobus were still being held in the Marion County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond Thursday afternoon.

As for the burning of Jones’ house, Vickers said investigators are still doing interviews with potential witnesses and suspects.

In some cases, a criminal will burn a structure to hide evidence of a crime, but Vickers said investigators had already searched the house before it burned.

“We were through with the place and had no reason to go back,” he said.

No arrests had been made as of Thursday evening.

“We’re still investigating it,” Vickers said.

Source

[Just my luck sucks]

The Hatfields and McCoys perhaps?