Cassville man arrested for beating teen with axe handle
Mason
February 11, 2015
Charlea Mills
One man is in custody after allegedly breaking a teenager’s legs with an axe handle on Monday.
James R. Mason, 42, of Cassville, was arrested for the crime what injured 17 year-old Tyler Pendergraft, of Purdy. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Mason lifted the rear of Tyler’s truck with a skid loader to prevent Tyler from leaving his residence, also damaging the truck. Then, Mason allegedly beat Pendergraft with an axe handle, breaking both of his legs and his nose.
Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly stated, “We believe that the victim was stealing diesel from a farm tank on the property, so Mason contacted him on Monday and asked him to come out to his place to confront him.”
Epperly also stated that Pendergraft was taken into surgery for his one of his broken legs on Tuesday and had serious injuries. Epperly said, “Tyler managed to drive himself to Cassville and contacted his step-dad who took him to the E.R. after the incident.”
Pendergraft told officers that he believed that Mason was going to kill him, because Mason said he was going to “bury him.”
According to a Go Fund Me page that has been created online to help with Pendergraft’s medical expenses, his injuries include, “a broken right tibia and fibula, broken left tibia and fibula, broken left ankle, broken nose, possible broken orbital bones, possible broken jaw (too much swelling to tell just yet), severely bruised chest, and other unidentified head trauma.” The page is attempting to raise $5,000 to help the family. They also describe Pendergraft as loving rodeo, his family and friends.
Epperly stated, “No one appreciates someone stealing, but you’ve got to call and get law enforcement involved. You can’t take the law into your own hands, that’s why Mason is in the trouble he is in now.” Epperly also said that he believed that Pendergraft has worked for Mason in the past.
Mason is currently being held in the Barry County Jail on a $250,000 cash-only bond for assault in the first degree, armed criminal action and property damage in the first degree.
Charlea Mills
One man is in custody after allegedly breaking a teenager’s legs with an axe handle on Monday.
James R. Mason, 42, of Cassville, was arrested for the crime what injured 17 year-old Tyler Pendergraft, of Purdy. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Mason lifted the rear of Tyler’s truck with a skid loader to prevent Tyler from leaving his residence, also damaging the truck. Then, Mason allegedly beat Pendergraft with an axe handle, breaking both of his legs and his nose.
Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly stated, “We believe that the victim was stealing diesel from a farm tank on the property, so Mason contacted him on Monday and asked him to come out to his place to confront him.”
Epperly also stated that Pendergraft was taken into surgery for his one of his broken legs on Tuesday and had serious injuries. Epperly said, “Tyler managed to drive himself to Cassville and contacted his step-dad who took him to the E.R. after the incident.”
Pendergraft told officers that he believed that Mason was going to kill him, because Mason said he was going to “bury him.”
According to a Go Fund Me page that has been created online to help with Pendergraft’s medical expenses, his injuries include, “a broken right tibia and fibula, broken left tibia and fibula, broken left ankle, broken nose, possible broken orbital bones, possible broken jaw (too much swelling to tell just yet), severely bruised chest, and other unidentified head trauma.” The page is attempting to raise $5,000 to help the family. They also describe Pendergraft as loving rodeo, his family and friends.
Epperly stated, “No one appreciates someone stealing, but you’ve got to call and get law enforcement involved. You can’t take the law into your own hands, that’s why Mason is in the trouble he is in now.” Epperly also said that he believed that Pendergraft has worked for Mason in the past.
Mason is currently being held in the Barry County Jail on a $250,000 cash-only bond for assault in the first degree, armed criminal action and property damage in the first degree.
