A Hot Springs woman arrested last year after deliberately hitting her 75-year-old father with her vehicle pleaded guilty Tuesday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Cindy Darlene Jones-Clark, 55, was originally charged with first-degree domestic battery, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, but pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to 10 years, and was sentenced to six years' probation, fined $500 and ordered to pay $420 in court costs.
Her probation came with special conditions, including that she must file and complete a mental counseling treatment plan. A court order barring her from any future contact with her father was also issued.
Jones-Clark was arrested Feb. 6, 2017, and had initially pleaded not guilty on July 11, 2017, with a trial set for March 27. On March 13, she had indicated she planned a defense of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, so the trial was postponed and a mental evaluation was ordered.
At Tuesday's hearing, she accepted the findings of the evaluation by the state hospital that she was fit to proceed with trial and agreed to plead to the amended charge.
According to the affidavit, on Feb. 5, 2017, shortly after 10 p.m., Garland County sheriff's deputies responded to a residence in the 100 block of Mimosa Point regarding a 75-year-old male who had been struck by a car. Cpl. Robbie Swinney arrived and saw a car parked in the yard near the front porch with one of the rear wheels off the ground. He also saw the father on the porch, bleeding from his head.
Two witnesses at the scene, including the victim's other daughter, told Swinney that Jones-Clark had tried to run the victim over with her vehicle.
Both witnesses said the incident began while Jones-Clark was backing out of the driveway. She had her dog and a dog belonging to the other daughter in her car. When the second witness attempted to retrieve the other daughter's dog from the vehicle as Jones-Clark was leaving, both dogs apparently got out.
When the father picked up the other daughter's dog and lightly tossed it toward her, Jones-Clark put the car in drive, quickly accelerating the vehicle toward him. The vehicle struck her father, sending him onto the hood of the car.
Jones then drove off the driveway onto some rocks and stopped, tossing her father onto the front porch of his residence. He began bleeding after striking his head on the concrete porch.
Both witnesses said Jones exited the vehicle and began clapping and laughing at the situation.
The father was taken to National Park Medical Center for treatment.
Local on 07/06/2018