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Written by L. Chase
Published October 24, 2022 @ 11:59AM ET
Bartow County (October 19, 2022) – Police were called out to 44 Grassdale Road after a woman called police wanting to report that her drunk boyfriend had pulled a gun on her and assaulted her after she asked him to stop breathing so loudly.
Upon the officer’s arrival, the victim said that her boyfriend, identified as Jimmie Stephens, had drunk a pint of Jim Beam whiskey before the couple went to bed. As the victim was lying in bed trying to sleep, Stephens’s breathing became so loud that the victim asked him to roll over or quit. This enraged Stephens to the point he started hitting the victim. The victim stood up, and Stephens punched her in the mouth.
Stephens then grabbed the victim’s pistol and placed it against her forehead. The victim tried to fight back by getting a stick, but Stephens grabbed a broom handle and started bludgeoning her with it. She was hit in the back of the head and said she doesn’t remember much after those blows.
The victim’s brother walked in and started fighting with Stephens. The victim says the two ended up on the front porch during the brawl, where Stephens threw a wooden box at the victim, cutting her left arm open.
Officers observed that the victim had several injuries. These injuries included a large lump on her head, a busted lip, a large cut on her right hand about two and a half inches in length, a large cut on her left arm with the skin peeling off caused by the wooden box, a busted lip, with a top front tooth knocked loose, as well as a large laceration on her right thigh, just above the knee. The victim refused to be seen by EMS several times.
According to the victim’s brother, he had just gotten home from work when he saw his sister come outside crying and bleeding uncontrollably. He said that Stephens began walking towards them, screaming when they started arguing. Stephens allegedly hit and scratched him in the face several times until his sister was able to brake them apart as police arrived at the scene.
The victim’s brother had scratches and bruising consistent with his story. However, he also declined to be seen by EMS.
Upon questioning Stephens, he admitted he had been drinking whiskey when the two began arguing over his breathing when she slapped him. He said that he began swinging and hitting her but was unsure where he had struck her. He claims that the victim pulled the gun on him, which he took from her and pointed back at her. He also alleges that the victim’s brother was the aggressor in the fight, but the initial victim broke them up when police arrived on the scene.
Jimmie had a busted lip and nose and a knot to the left side of his head.
Stephens was subsequently charged with aggravated assault and two counts of battery. Stephens was transported to the Bartow County Jail, where a nurse at the jail diverted him to Carterville Piedmont Hospital to examine his injuries. Medical staff cleared his wounds and Stephens was transported back to the jail and booked in.
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On Wednesday, October 19, 2022, I was dispatched to [40 BLOCK] Grassdale Rd in reference to a physical domestic dispute.
Upon arrival, [VICTIM #1] stated that her boyfriend (Jimmie Stephens) had drunk a pint of Jim Beam whiskey. She said they were laying in the bed trying to sleep, but Jimmie was breathing too loud. She said that she told him to roll over or quit. She said he became irate and started hitting her. She said that he punched her in her mouth when she stood up. She said that he grabbed her pistol and placed it on her forehead. She said she grabbed a stick to try and defend herself when he grabbed a wooden broom handle and started hitting her with it. She said he hit her in the back of the head with it and didn’t remember anything afterward. She said her brother [VICTIM #2] walked in when [VICTIM #2] and Jimmie started fighting. She said they ended up on the front porch when Jimmie threw a wooden box toward her hitting her in her left arm and cutting it open.
I observed that [VICTIM #1] had a large lump on the back of her head. Her top lip was busted, and a top tooth was knocked loose. She had a large laceration on her right hand next to her thumb, approximately two and a half inches long. She had a large cut on her left arm, peeling the skin back from the wooden box. She also had a large laceration on her right thigh above her knee. [VICTIM #1] refused multiple times to be seen by EMS.
[VICTIM #2] stated that he had just got home from work when [VICTIM #1] came outside crying and bleeding everywhere. He said that Jimmie started walking towards them, yelling when they began arguing. He said that Jimmie was trying to get to [VICTIM #1], so they began fighting. He said that Jimmie hit and scratched him several times in the face. He said [VICTIM #1] broke them up when I arrived on the scene.
[VICTIM #2] did have a cut to his right ear and scratch marks that were bruising from Jimmie scratching him. He also stated that his head was hurting from being hit. [VICTIM #2] refused to be seen by EMS.
Jimmie stated that he had drunk a pint of Jim Beam whiskey. He said that he and [VICTIM #1] began arguing over sleeping when she slapped him. He said that he then began swinging and hitting her. He stated he wasn’t sure where he hit her at. He said she pulled a gun on him, so he took it from her and pointed it back at her. He said that [VICTIM #2] came in and started hitting him in the face. He said that [VICTIM #1] got them separated when I arrived on the scene.
Jimmie did have a busted lip and nose, and he had a not to the left side of his head.
Jimmie was charged with Aggravated Assault for pointing the gun at [VICTIM #1] and hitting her in the head with a wooden broom handle, making her lose consciousness. Jimmie was charged with Battery for punching [VICTIM #1] and throwing the wooden box at her cutting her arm open. Jimmie was charged with a second count of Battery for hitting and scratching [VICTIM #2], causing him to bleed and bruise.
Jimmie was transported to the Bartow County Jail. Upon arrival, the Bartow County Jail nurse diverted Jimmie to the Cartersville Medical Center to be cleared.
I transported Jimmie to the Cartersville Medical Center, where he was cleared. Jimmie was transported back to the Bartow County Jail, where he was booked in. Photographs were taken.
[End of Narrative]