Dierks man charged with battery of man found on side of the road
Charges were filed on Tuesday, December 27 against a Howard County resident in the Howard County Circuit Court.
42-year-old Mark Brooks of Dierks was charged with one count of battery in the 2nd degree and one county of battery in the 1st degree.
According to the affidavit, around October 22nd, deputies with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to Howard Memorial Hospital in reference to a person who appeared to have been beaten.
The victim was identified as William Hodges and he had been found laying on the side of the road in the Fellowship community. Hodges was air lifted to UAMS in Little Rock where he remained unconscious for several days.
During the investigation, Investigator Blake Eudy developed a list of suspects, including Brooks. According to an interview with a potential witness, deputies were informed that Brooks had told him that they needed to take Hodges to the hospital because he had fallen and hit his head on a rock. The witness told deputies that Brooks placed a piece of plastic down on the back seat and loaded Hodges into the vehicle. The witness said Hodges had a large gash on his forehead and was bleeding.
The witness stated he and Brooks was taking Hodges to the hospital, however, they dropped Hodges off on a dirt road in the Fellowship community near Hodges son’s house.
The witness stated when they got back to his residence, Brooks burned the plastic and the shoes he was wearing.
Brooks was arrested on November 18th.
According to the affidavit, Brooks admitted to hitting Hodges in the head during an interview. Brooks said he hit Hodges because Hodges pulled a gun on him.
