Two men have been charged with beating another man, then leaving him for dead in a ditch along Back Valley Road.
The Sheriff’s Department began to investigate the assault on Friday night. Law enforcement had found a white male lying in a ditch along the side of the road, and the unconscious victim was bleeding from his face and had several severe injuries. Police also spoke to a witness on scene, who told them of seeing the man leave the nearby residence in a car before suddenly stopping.
The witness told of seeing Stacey Lee Hixson 34, and Patrick Tyler Gentry, 25, drive past the victim and scream obscenities at him. The witness said the victim exited the vehicle and stood on the front lawn, where he “became involved in a heated verbal dispute” with the two suspects.
The witness said the argument escalated into a fight, and that Gentry began to choke the victim from behind while Hixson repeatedly punched the victim until he fell to the ground unconscious. The witness said both suspects continued to kick and stomp on the victim while he was on the ground. The witness said the victim woke up and began to beg the suspects to leave him alone.
The victim was knocked unconscious again, and the witness said Gentry picked up a metal sign post from nearby and hit the victim in the head with it. The two suspects then picked up the unconscious man and threw him into the ditch, it was stated.
Police later located the suspects’ vehicle and performed a traffic stop. Both Gentry and Hixson were detained. Police were able to speak to the now-conscious victim, who said he was assaulted by Gentry and Hixson and left for dead.
Police said both made Gentry and Hixson made incriminating statements regarding the incident, and that both were questioned about the blood found on their persons and clothing. Police said pictures were taken for documentation purposes as well.
Police found that the injured man was the victim of multiple counts of burglary, theft, and assault by Gentry, and that on Aug. 16, a deputy issued a trespass warning to Gentry for being near the victim’s residence. Police said Gentry had already assaulted the victim once in July and had been told to stay away.
Gentry was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated stalking, civil rights intimidation, coercion of a witness, harassment, and aggravated criminal trespassing. Hixson is charged with aggravated assault, civil right intimidation, coercion of a witness, and harassment.