Lack of victim cooperation cited in dismissal of 3 felony cases

Jeff Lehr, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·2 min read

Sep. 17—The Jasper County prosecutor's office Thursday dismissed three defendants' felony domestic assault cases due to a lack of cooperation on the part of their victims.

Dony A. Hernandez, 25, of Carthage, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Jasper County Circuit Court on charges of second-degree domestic assault and first-degree child endangerment. The prosecutor's office announced that the charges were being dismissed when his ex-girlfriend did not show up to testify against him.

Hernandez was arrested on the charges after an incident Nov. 30 during which he allegedly struck his ex-girlfriend in the head with a thermos bottle and punched her forehead. At the time, she purportedly was holding her child in her arms.

A charge of second-degree domestic assault on which Aaron M. Hutchins, 25, was scheduled to have a preliminary hearing also was dismissed due to a lack of cooperation on the part of the victim.

Hutchins was accused of grabbing his pregnant fiancee by the throat during an argument Feb. 8 at his residence in Carthage. He later purportedly got on top of her on a bed and put her in a chokehold, according to a probable-cause affidavit.

The prosecutor's office dismissed a count of second-degree domestic assault that had been filed three months ago on Theodore J. Pfeifle, 39, of Carthage.

The charge involved the assault of a girlfriend June 6 at the defendant's apartment. A probable-cause affidavit alleged that he got on top of her and choked her several times with his hands, causing her to lose consciousness at one point. He also purportedly grabbed her by her hair and slammed her head down.

Pfeifle also was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday, but the victim failed to show up to testify against him.