A West Plains man has been charged with second-degree assault after a violent encounter left a woman hospitalized with serious injuries, according to law enforcement officials.
Police responded to a residence in Howell County following a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers spoke with a witness who stated his sister, the victim, had been crying hysterically and claimed she had sustained a head injury. The witness also reported seeing a bald white male leaving the backyard moments before discovering the victim injured.
Officers located the woman shortly thereafter and observed heavy bleeding from the back of her head, along with a large hematoma. The victim told police she had gone to confront Jacob Counts, with whom she had an ongoing romantic relationship.
During the confrontation, she alleged that Counts became enraged, forcefully grabbed her around the ribs, and slammed her head-first into the ground. She stated that Counts then restrained her, preventing her from escaping, and that she feared for her life.
Emergency medical personnel transported the victim for treatment. Medical staff later confirmed she required multiple staples to close a head laceration and showed signs of rib cage deformity.
Counts was located later that day and admitted to being present during the incident, though he provided inconsistent accounts of what occurred. He denied physical contact with the victim, but officers noted visible blood on the front of his shorts, which he could not explain. His appearance matched the description provided by the witness.
