SALINE CO.— A Harrisburg man has been charged with a felony after authorities say he beat on a married woman pregnant with what appears, at least, to be his child.
According to police reports, on November 17, at approximately 8:24 p.m., central dispatch received a call near the intersection of Robinson Street and Ledford Street in Harrisburg from Caitlyn Elise Hohimer, 24, who advised that she was in a truck with a male, headed toward Barnett Street and that the man would not let her out of the vehicle.
Shortly thereafter the truck stopped and the man, later identified as Justin Joe Hicks, 35, of 1129 South Ledford St., Harrisburg, simply walked away.
When Assistant Police Chief Todd Cavender arrived on scene, Hohimer informed him that Hicks had been arguing with her and came to her home to talk.
She said they stepped outside and got into the truck in order for her two other children not to hear the confrontation.
However, shortly after she got into the vehicle, Hicks started it up and drove off.
Hohimer said she told Hicks to stop the truck and let her out but he refused.
She said he stopped the vehicle on Charleston Street long enough to hit her several times in the left jaw.
Officers said Hohimer had visible signs of being struck.
That’s when authorities say Hicks got out of the truck and walked off.
Hohimer made her way back to her house to check on her other children while Cavender remained at the scene waiting for a tow truck.
While waiting, he spoke with Connie Stricklin who advised that she had just stepped out of her residence to smoke and witnessed the truck round the corner from Ledford Street to Charleston Street.
Stricklin said a woman inside the truck was screaming at a male driver to let her out.
She said she saw the man strike the woman and grab the door as the woman was trying to get out of the truck.
Stricklin said she then saw the male get out and walk away.
When Cavender returned to the 1129 South Ledford St. residence Hohimer and Hicks share, he spotted Hicks sitting on a large toolbox.
When Cavender got out of his cruiser, Hicks began yelling that he had not driven the truck to Charleston Street and left it in the middle of the road.
Regardless, Hicks was taken into custody.
Before he could be placed in the rear of a squad car, Hicks allegedly appeared very depressed and began crying.
While officer Zach Popetz transported the teary Hicks to the county jail, Hicks’ babymomma, Ms. Hohimer, advised Cavender that as he pulled his squad car up to the house, Hicks had tossed a bag of weed and a bottle of Hot Damn on the ground.
Sure enough, Cavender found a bag of marijuana.
There was no mention in the report as to the ultimate whereabouts of the cheap booze.
Before wrapping up the interview, Hohimer informed Cavender that she was two months pregnant with Hicks’ child.
Court records indicate that Mrs. Hohimer filed for divorce from her husband, Robert Douglas Hohimer, October 1, 2015.
Whether or not the actions which lead to Mrs. Hohimer being with-child had anything to do with the filing of the pending divorce is unknown.
Hicks was formally charged with Aggravated Battery of a Pregnant Woman, Domestic Battery and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis.
He was released from police custody after a $1,000 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Joe R. Hicks, Jr., of 3255 Hwy. 45, Harrisburg.