Joplin man's vehicular assault charge dismissed

Jeff Lehr, The Joplin Globe, Mo.
·1 min read

May 21—The Jasper County prosecutor's office Thursday dismissed a felony count of vehicular assault on a Joplin man due to his victim's unwillingness to testify against him.

Jonathon D. Hamm, 28, was scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Jasper County Circuit Court on a count of second-degree assault. The hearing was canceled when the prosecutor's office announced that the case was being dismissed.

Hamm was arrested on the charge after an incident March 27 when police say he tried to ram the vehicle of Tracy Parkes, 56, of Joplin, as Parkes was providing Hamm's girlfriend a ride to another residence in the midst of a domestic dispute between the couple.

A probable-cause affidavit filed with the charge states that she maneuvered her vehicle in a manner to keep from being struck. But when Parkes later stopped and got out of the vehicle, Hamm drove at her, forcing her to jump out of the way.

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