Four young defendants were bound to the Grand Jury on Thursday on attempted murder charges in a beating at a Hixson apartment complex that left pools of blood in the parking lot.
General Sessions Court Judge Christie Sell also declined to lower the bond for Josh McCoin, Coty Ray Boles, Chris Akers and Bobby Wayne Elliott, who are all in custody.
Lucas Dodson testified that he was beaten unconscious after he, his brother, Sam, and a cousin were driven by a young woman to the Magnolia Apartments on April 29.
He said they were riding with Tara Cain on an outing for marijuana. He said Ms. Cain said she had to first make a stop at the apartments.
He said soon after Ms. Cain went inside an apartment a group of 6-10 youths swarmed toward the Ford Explorer. He said he was in the front passenger seat with the window partially rolled down.
He said McCoin slugged him in the face with his fist, then the group dragged him out of the vehicle and began beating him. He said he was beaten repeatedly about the face and head for 15-25 minutes by the group that included the four defendants. He said some in the group took a large rock and beat him in the head and face with it.
Lucas Dodson said after he was pulled from the car "it was like a tornado from then on."
He said he did not know the attackers, who were wearing white T-shirts.
He said he passed out and later remembers walking down the road bleeding.
He had to have his jaw wired together and titanium placed in his chin.
Officer G. Wilhelm said he responded on a call of a beating at the apartment complex and spotted three youths walking down a road nearby - with two holding up the third one.
He said the one in the middle "looked like he had been in a car wreck." He said he "was bleeding profusely from the mouth. His jaw was disfigured. It looked like his teeth were gone and there was no semblance of a tongue." An ambulance was called.
Officer Wilhelm said he found a large puddle of blood at the apartment parking lot and other pools of blood. He said the large puddle of blood "had teeth or something in it." He said there was a trail of blood leading from the parking lot.
The officer said, "Nobody in the apartment complex knew anything. Some heard a commotion, but they all said they didn't want to get involved."
Ms. Cain testified for the defense, saying she picked up the Dodsons on Harrison Lane in the afternoon and then made the stop at the apartment complex. She said she went to visit Stephanie Wirtz, and heard yelling outside. She said she went out and saw McCoin and Lucas Dodson fighting.
She said Sam Dodson jumped out of the vehicle and jumped on McCoin, then she said Akers began fighting Sam Dodson. She said Elliott tried to get in between those two and got kicked in the face. She said Boles then began fighting with Sam Dodson.
She said she later saw Sam Dodson trying to hide under a truck.
The witness said she saw Lucas Dodson bleeding and screaming for help, then walk off.
She said the incident lasted about 15 minutes and was "four on three." She said she did not call police, saying, "I was in shock."
Ms. Wirtz, who said some of the defendants had spent the night at her apartment recently, said Elliott came in during the incident and washed blood off his face.
A county officer told of tracking McCoin to the Pocket Wilderness at North Chickamauga Creek. He said McCoin got away across the creek. He said Ms. Cain was with him at the time. He said Ms. Cain told him "she didn't like police."
Judge Sell said she did not believe any of the testimony of Ms. Cain.
McCoin was finally found hiding out at his uncle’s residence at 8609 Farmer Road in Ooltewah on May 18.