A Wentworth man pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge of resisting of arrest and was assessed a suspended sentence.
Jay W. Northern, 26, pleaded guilty in Jasper County Circuit Court in Joplin to the misdemeanor offense in a plea agreement with the county prosecutor’s office. Northern originally was charged with felony assault on a law-enforcement officer in connection with an incident Feb. 27 at 32nd Street and Serene Lane in Jasper County.
A probable-cause affidavit filed in the case states that Deputy Shane Coleman made contact with Northern at a gas station for allegedly displaying expired registration on a vehicle he was driving and for failing to use his turn signal. A scuffle ensued with the officer during which Northern kept issuing commands to his pit bull to attack the officer, according to the affidavit.
The dog did not attack the officer, but the officer was struck twice in the chest by the defendant during the scuffle, the affidavit states.
Circuit Judge David Mouton sentenced Northern to six months in jail but suspended execution of the sentence and placed him on probation for one year.
