A Macon man entered a guilty plea in Jones County Superior Court and received a 10-year sentence for the charge of aggravated assault.
Michael Bernard Clark entered his guilty plea June 29 and received 10 years for the aggravated assault charge and 12 months each for a charge of simple battery and three counts of cruelty to children in third degree.
All the counts are to run together for a total of 10 years with the first 180 days served in confinement. The remainder of the sentence is to be served on probation. Clark was given credit for time served from his April 5 arrest.
A report of Clark’s arrest by Jones County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Matthew Johnson stated that he was dispatched to an address on Avalon Road in reference to an open line on a 911 call on which arguing could be heard in the background.
Johnson said he made contact with Clark, who was standing in the driveway when he arrived at the scene. Clark told him there had been an argument with his girlfriend, and he wanted her to leave. The deputy said he told Clark she could not be made to leave if she was a legal resident of the home, which turned out to be the case.
As they were talking, the girlfriend walked up with a knife in her hand.
Johnson said he told her to put down the knife, which she did.
The deputy said he had a conversation with the girlfriend, who told him she and Clark had an argument that resulted in him pulling her by her hair and caused her to drop her son. She said she was kneed in the face and had a gun pointed at her chest.
The incident happened in front of the victim’s three children, one of which was old enough to verify the mother’s story in a separate interview.
Johnson said he retrieved the firearm from a desk drawer, where it was placed by Clark when he realized 911 had been called. The magazine of the gun contained 14 rounds with one in the chamber.
The deputy said Clark was taken into custody and warrants taken for his arrest.
