Woman allegedly runs over ex-boyfriend, both charged with battery

A local woman and her ex-boyfriend were each arrested on battery charges Friday evening after a physical altercation between the two ended when she allegedly struck him with her car as he was fleeing.

Vanessa Ann Matlock, 39, who lists an Illinois Street address, was taken into custody around 5:30 p.m. and charged with second-degree domestic battery, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, while her ex-boyfriend, Timothy Odell Joyce, 42, was charged with third-degree domestic battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.

Both were initially held on zero bond at the time of their arrest, but they had each bonded out as of Monday and are set to appear Jan. 22 in Garland County District Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 5 p.m. Friday, Hot Springs police were dispatched to Matlock's residence in the 200 block of Illinois Street regarding an ongoing disturbance and while en route were advised one suspect, identified as Joyce, ran east on Tennessee Street to Colorado Street.

The caller, later identified as Matlock, reportedly told dispatchers, "If I could catch up to him, I will run him over."

When officers arrived, Joyce was observed "bent over" on Colorado near Mississippi Street and Matlock was in her vehicle on Colorado Street near the edge of the road.

Joyce reportedly stated he had been at the home of his ex-girlfriend, identified as Matlock, "visiting throughout the day," and she became agitated with him for unknown reasons leading to an argument during which she started punching him in the face while ripping his shirt.

He said they both fell to the floor while he was slapping her in an attempt to get her to let go of his shirt. At one point, their daughter came into the living room and started yelling at them. He said Matlock finally let go of his shirt and he walked outside to the front porch, but then she pushed him off the porch onto the ground.

Joyce said he began walking down Colorado when he saw Matlock in her vehicle heading toward him. He said he attempted to jump into the woods, but Matlock "swerved the vehicle toward him" and struck him with the front bumper and hood, knocking him to the ground.

Matlock reportedly told police she had been at home with her two daughters when she heard a knock at the front door and opened it to see Joyce standing there. She said Joyce forced his way into the residence which he had been banned from on Dec. 20 and tried to talk her out of having him banned, but she refused.

She said Joyce started "pacing back and forth" and then punched her in the head six to eight times. She told her daughter to go outside and call police and when Joyce saw her on the phone he tried to get everyone back in the house.

Matlock reportedly admitted as Joyce was walking up the front porch she pushed him down the stairs and then got her daughters inside the house and locked the door. She said she saw Joyce running west on Illinois and noted, "she didn't want him to get away before police arrived."

She said she and her daughters got in her SUV and chased after Joyce. She initially told police she didn't run over Joyce, but later, while being transported to jail, she allegedly admitted to running him over. She said, "I was angry and I let him get the best of me." Once at the jail, she allegedly said, "I'm glad I got his (expletive)."

Officers noted Joyce had abrasions to his right elbow and both knees and his pants and shirt were torn. Matlock reportedly had redness on the back and right side of her head and a black left eye which turned red as if a blood vessel had popped. The affidavit didn't indicate if either of them received medical treatment prior to their arrests.

Local on 01/15/2019

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