69-year-old allegedly threatens victim, dog on Main Street
A Cassville man is facing a felony charge for allegedly attacking a victim and the victim’s dog with a knife on Main Street in Cassville on Saturday.
Demoine Neely, 69, of Cassville, is charged with first-degree assault, a Class B felony.
According to a probable cause statement filed by Sgt. Devin McCormack, with the Cassville Police Department, police were dispatched at 8:39 a.m. on Saturday to 1013 Main Street for a report of a disturbance involving a man with a knife.
McCormack responded from West 11th Street, saying as he drove eastbound toward the location, he could see a male identified as Neely allegedly holding a silver knife and advancing toward the victim in the parking lot of the former Cro-se Cafe building next to Super Stop.
“Neely was swiping the knife at the victim and the victim’s dog as Neely continued advancing toward the victim while the victim was backing away and pulling the dog away from Neely,” McCormack said in the statement.
McCormack drew his service pistol and instructed Neely to drop the knife and lay face down on the ground with his hands behind his back, orders with which Neely complied.
After taking Neely into custody, McCormack spoke to the victim, who said he was taking a shortcut through the yard at 1010 Main Street when Neely, who was sitting on the porch of the property at that location, allegedly began shouting at him making threats to kill him and his dog.
“The victim stated Neely then pulled a knife out of his waistband and began waving it in the air, stating, ‘I’ve got this for you; I’ll kill you and your dog,’” McCormack’s statement said. “The victim stated he began backing away from Neely to keep him and his dog from being stabbed while Neely was making stabbing motions toward [them].”
The victim told McCormack he crossed Main Street into the parking lot at 1013 Main, and Neely allegedly continued to advance on him and his dog with the knife until police arrived on scene.
Neely has a prior felony second-degree assault conviction out of Lawrence County in 2021 and is currently on probation. McCormack also listed in the probable cause report Neely was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
According to Donnie Privett, Cassville Police Chief, Neely told authorities he was sitting on the porch smoking marijuana and reading his Bible.
Neely is being held on a $75,000 cash-only bond. He appeared on Tuesday in the courtroom of Judge Robert Foulke.
