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Dearborn
man guilty of third degree assault
A Dearborn man was found guilty
of third-degree assault after a trial in Platte
County Associate Circuit Court.
Orville Dennis, 45, was convicted at trial on
Friday after testimony of six witnesses involving
an altercation at the Tank N’ Tummy convenience
store in Northern Platte County.
Associate Circuit Court Judge Gary Witt sentenced
Dennis to two years probation and ordered him
to pay $4,207 in restitution to the victim. Platte
County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said he was pleased
with the Court’s decision.
Zahnd said, “When someone is physically
injured and requires medical attention due to
a criminal act, the perpetrator must be held accountable.
Although this was a misdemeanor offense, it was
important to devote the resources of my office
to see that justice was done.”
Zahnd’s office charged Dennis with assault
after a cashier at the Tank N’ Tummy made
a frantic 911 call on June 24, 2003. At trial,
the cashier testified that she feared for the
victim’s safety because Dennis was much larger
than the victim. She said the victim tried repeatedly
to escape, but Dennis continued to attack him.
The victim testified at trial that Dennis, who
the victim knew by the nickname “Snake,”
hit him repeatedly and tackled him to the ground.
Testimony also indicated that Dennis tried to
choke the victim while lying on top of him. The
victim, who weighs approximately 150 pounds, said
he was able to struggle out from underneath Dennis,
who estimated his own weight at 450 pounds.
Trial testimony further revealed that the assault
was motivated by allegations of theft that had
surfaced regarding a worker at the convenience
store. Dennis became enraged and went to the Tank
N’ Tummy to confront the victim.
Zahnd said, “It is significant that this
defendant was forced to accept culpability for
his crime. The victim has incurred many medical
bills as a result of this assault, and now the
defendant will have to accept financial responsibility
for the injuries he inflicted.”
The case was investigated by the Platte County
Sheriff’s Department. It was tried by Assistant
Prosecutor Myles Perry.
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