All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Buckhannon woman arrested for felony domestic assault after striking man with King Kong statue

BUCKHANNON – A Buckhannon woman was arrested earlier this week after allegedly striking a person in the head with a King Kong statue and fleeing the scene.

Deon Jones, 44, was arrested Wednesday for domestic battery, third offense, a felony, and resisting an officer, a misdemeanor.

According to the criminal complaint in the Upshur County Magistrate Clerk’s Office filed by investigating officer Patrolman Sam Kraemer with the Buckhannon Police Department, on Wednesday, Aug. 26, Kraemer responded to a Randolph Street residence in reference to a physical altercation between the victim and Jones.

Upon arrival, Kraemer was met by the victim, who said Jones allegedly struck him in the head with a small statue of King Kong he had placed on a table. The victim said he stepped outside to get away from the situation and Jones slammed the door and locked it. According to the file, the victim used a spare key to re-enter the residence and upon entering, he found that Jones had fled on foot out the back door.

According to the complaint, there were no apparent marks on the victim, but police noted this was the third call regarding Jones. In the prior calls, Jones was allegedly “destroying items in the house and bothering neighbors while in an intoxicated state.” This is Jones’s third domestic battery offense with prior conviction dates of Oct. 16, 2014 and Dec. 14, 2015.

It was determined by Kraemer and other officers on scene that Jones allegedly struck the victim and would be arrested, but prior to being able to make contact, she allegedly fled on foot from the area and officers were unable to located her, the file says.

However, a short time later, the file says Kraemer was dispatched for a removal of an unwanted person, and it was Jones. Upon arrival, the victim, mentioned above, told Kraemer that Jones had locked herself in the bathroom closet and refused to come out. The complaint says Kraemer knocked on the door, announced himself and gave Jones several verbal commands to exit the closet because she was being placed under arrest for domestic battery third offense.

Jones refused several times and reportedly told Kraemer she was not going to jail.

According to the complaint, Kraemer was able to remove the hinges from the door and open it.

Kraemer told Jones to stand up, but she allegedly refused. Kraemer then tried to place Jones in a modified wrist lock, but she was able to pull away and fall further in the closet. According to the file, Kraemer was able to get Jones to stand up and performed a modified arm bar take down after she allegedly attempted to pull away again.

While on the ground, Jones was given several verbal commands to lay down, which she allegedly refused. Kraemer was eventually able to roll Jones on her stomach and place her in hand restraints.

Magistrate Kay Hurst said bail at $10,000.

The possible penalty for a conviction of domestic battery third offense is confinement in a state correctional facility for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine of not more than $2,500 or both. The possible penalty for a conviction of resisting an officer is confinement in jail for up to one year, a fine ranging from $50 to $500 or both.

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