A Hot Springs man arrested last summer for hitting his 70-year-old father with a coffee table and threatening his life pleaded guilty to charges Monday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Brian Andrew Nooner, 38, who had remained in custody since his arrest Aug. 21, 2018, was set for a nonjury trial on June 3 but opted to plead guilty to second-degree domestic battery and first-degree terroristic threatening and was sentenced to five years' probation, fined $500 and ordered to pay $420 in court costs.
Judge John Homer Wright also issued a court order barring Nooner from contact with his father.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Aug. 21, shortly after 7 p.m., Hot Springs police were dispatched to a residence on Albert Pike Road in reference to a battery that reportedly occurred at a residence on McKay Street.
Officers made contact with a man, 70, who stated he and his son, identified as Nooner, had been fighting on and off since around 10 a.m. that day. He stated Nooner had punched him in the arm, shoved him into a brick wall and at one point hit him with a coffee table, striking him in the left leg.
Officers observed a vertical scratch to the man's left leg and red discoloration in his left arm.
The man said throughout the argument Nooner had made statements such as, "I'm going to dig a 3 foot by 9 foot hole and bury the family in it," and "I'm going to pour gas on you and set it on fire."
He also threatened his father, saying, "I'm going to hang you from that tree," as he pointed to a tree in the yard.
Officers responded to the McKay street address with Nooner's father and made contact with Nooner. The officers noted Nooner had no visible injuries and didn't complain of any pain.
Nooner was taken into custody without incident and reportedly declined to answer any questions after being read his rights at the Garland County Detention Center.
Because of the victim's age, Nooner was charged with a felony count of battery.
Nooner, representing himself, pleaded not guilty to the charges on Oct. 26. An order for a mental evaluation of Nooner was issued by Wright on Nov. 19. An Act 3 hearing was held and Nooner was found fit to proceed with trial on April 19.
Local on 05/08/2019