Three teenagers have been charged with felonies after authorities say they forced their way into a man’s home and assaulted him with a baseball bat.
A press release from the Izard County Sheriff’s Office stated the incident happened around 4:35 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17th at a home on Allen Street in Melbourne.
The victim, age 25, told investigators he was asleep when he was awakened by a man striking him on the back of the head with a baseball bat.
He victim stated the assailant was wearing a mask and put a pistol to his head while a female took items from his home and stuffed them into a backpack.
When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered the victim with a “blood-soaked towel†on his head. The victim’s forearms and elbows appeared to be broken. An medical helicopter transported the victim to UAMS in Little Rock.
After a description of the suspects was provided by a neighbor and discovering that Darian Woodward, age 18 of Melbourne may have been connected with the burglary, deputies interviewed Woodward.
Izard County Chief Deputy Charley Melton stated Woodward admitted to driving Landon Reese Thomas, age 16 of Horseshoe Bend and a Isabel Alise Nolan, age 17 of Melbourne to the home.
Authorities said the juveniles admitted they had disposed of the bat and items taken from the home.
Investigators took Thomas and Nolan into custody and questioned them with parents/guardians present.
All three teens are charged with residential burglary and first-degree battery. Nolan and Thomas have been charged as adults according to authorities.