A West Plains woman is charged with first-degree domestic assault resulting in serious physical injury after allegedly hitting a man in the head with an aluminum pan and walking stick, resulting in the man’s loss of consciousness.
Jackie L. Bruffett, 42, is also charged with two counts of armed criminal action; all of the charges are felonies.
Howell County Deputy Robert Malone reported in court documents that, on Feb. 16, he was dispatched to a residence in Brandsville to investigate a possible domestic assault.
The victim, who Malone reported had visible injuries and lacerations to the head, said Bruffett had beaten him. Bruffett allegedly struck the victim in the head with an aluminum pan before hitting him multiple times with a wooden walking stick with a rendition of an eagle head attached to the top of it, and the force of the blows reportedly rendered the victim unconscious and broke the eagle head off the walking stick.
Malone's report added Bruffett and the victim shared the home at the time of the alleged assault, and it was his opinion Bruffett had committed first-degree assault by attempting to kill or knowingly cause serious physical injury to the victim.
Howell County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney agreed with that assessment, and sought the two counts of armed criminal action because Bruffett allegedly used the pan and walking cane as dangerous instruments.
Court records show Bruffett was convicted of misdemeanor third-degree domestic assault in 2013 in Howell County and paid a $100 fine.
She is held on a warrant with a $100,000 bond that was issued and served Feb. 20, according to court records. She has pleaded not guilty and appeared for a counsel status hearing and bond review Feb. 26 before Associate 37th Circuit Court R. David Ray, the records show.
She is represented by Public Defender Micah Jones who filed his entry of appearance as her representation Tuesday; no court appearances are currently on the docket for Bruffett’s case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant Howell County Prosecutor Rizwan Ahad and Howell County Prosecutor Mike Hutchings.
