Man who shot wife after hiding in trunk gets 40 years in prison

Johnson
Johnson

A Hot Springs man who hid in his estranged wife's trunk then crawled out and shot her as she was driving a year ago was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty in Garland County Circuit Court.

Nelson Green Johnson, 38, a habitual offender with 14 prior felony convictions, has remained in custody since his arrest Sept. 11, 2018, and was set to stand trial next week, but opted to plead guilty to felony charges of first-degree domestic battery and possession of a firearm by certain persons and was sentenced to 40 years on each count, to run concurrently.

Deputy Prosecutor Ron Jones noted that because Johnson was previously convicted of a violent felony, he will have to serve his sentence "day for day." Johnson also pleaded guilty to a felony charge of second-degree domestic battery for driving over his wife's legs and left hand during a previous confrontation on Feb. 26, 2018, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, also to run concurrently.

"It was a good case and I wouldn't have had any problem taking it to a jury, but I thought it was a fair offer under the circumstances," Jones said. "This will allow the victim to finally go about her life now unafraid of him anymore."

Jones said he had discussed the plea offer with the victim and she approved of it before he proceeded. Johnson had initially claimed after his arrest the victim had pulled a gun on him and they "argued and struggled over the gun which discharged and injured her," but Jones noted that at the plea hearing Johnson admitted to shooting the victim like she described to Hot Springs police.

"That's what happened and he admitted as much during the proceedings," he said. "He didn't go into great detail, but he admitted he did purposefully shoot her."

According to the probable cause affidavit on the first-degree battery, on Sept. 11, 2018, at around 7:30 a.m., police responded to a reported shooting on Carpenter Dam Road at Lakepark Drive and found a woman, 37, on the roadside who had a large abrasion to her right forearm and a small wound to the right side of her neck.

The woman stated she had been shot by her husband, identified as Johnson. She said she had just left her place of employment when Johnson "crawled out of the trunk and into the passenger area" of her 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix and shot her in the neck.

She said she struggled with Johnson and then exited the car and Johnson shot her twice more, in the left shoulder and right breast. He then pulled her into the passenger side of the car and with the passenger door still open turned left onto Carpenter Dam from Lakepark Drive, causing her to be ejected onto the roadway. Police later found a .22-caliber revolver in the roadway.

The woman was airlifted from the scene to UAMS for treatment of her injuries and was initially listed in serious condition.

Johnson contacted police and told them he had wrecked the Grand Prix and advised them of his location. At 7:45 a.m., police located Johnson walking on Casey Street and took him into custody without incident. A few minutes later, the Grand Prix was located about 50 yards off the roadway in the 600 block of Grand Point Drive.

Initially, due to the conflicting statements from Johnson and the victim, Johnson was only charged with violation of a no-contact order that had been issued after the incident in February. On Sept. 18, after further investigation, the first-degree domestic battery charge was filed along with possession of a firearm by certain persons because of Johnson's status as a convicted felon.

Johnson is classified as a habitual offender, having been convicted in 2000 in Phillips County of three counts of commercial burglary and two counts of theft of property; in 2001 in Phillips County for theft by receiving, two counts of commercial burglary and theft of property; in 2002 in Crittenden County for residential burglary and theft of property; in 2009 in Phillips County for fraudulent use of a credit card; and in 2016 in Phillips County for first-degree battery and possession of a firearm by certain persons.

According to the probable cause affidavit on the second-degree battery charge, on Feb. 26, 2018, shortly before 1 p.m., police responded to a call in reference to a domestic battery at Johnson's residence at the time on Sixth Street and made contact with his wife and two female witnesses.

The victim said she and Johnson were in the garage area behind their home arguing over money when he punched her in the face.

She said Johnson then attempted to leave in their Dodge Durango and she tried to get the keys as he backed out, causing her to fall to the ground. Johnson "accelerated straight towards her and ran over her legs and left hand as she tried to get out of the way."

The Dodge reportedly struck the house and Johnson got out, walked over to the victim, who was still on the ground and kicked her several times in the face. One witness yelled at Johnson to stop and at that time he fled in the Durango.

The victim was transported to a hospital where she was admitted due to the severity of her hand injury that required surgery. She also sustained a broken nose, a sprained ankle, bruising, swelling and lacerations to her head, legs and face.

Johnson was arrested on March 1, 2018, and was on parole at that time from the 2016 convictions in Phillips County. He was later released on bond, but that bond was revoked after his arrest on Sept. 11 and he remained in custody on $355,000 bond.

Local on 09/13/2019

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