A Baxter County Detention Center inmate has been charged with new offenses after allegedly kicking a jailer in the mouth. Bradley Marcus Lee Hanes, 36, of Mountain Home, was already in custody on arson and animal cruelty charges stemming from a December 2023 arrest.
The new charges, according to an affidavit from the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, include felony second-degree battery on a police officer and a misdemeanor charge of impairing the operation of a vital public facility. Bond for these charges was set at $5,000.
The incident occurred when jail staff checked on Hanes in a detox cell after he was reportedly yelling and kicking the door. Staff determined Hanes needed to be restrained after noticing he had injured himself and had blood on his hands and genital area. As jailers attempted to secure him in a restraint chair, Hanes allegedly kicked one of the officers in the mouth. A second jailer drew a Taser, and a third officer arrived to assist in placing Hanes in restraints without further incident.
Hanes has been held in custody since his arrest on December 30, 2023, for allegedly setting fire to a house and torturing and killing his roommate's cat. That investigation revealed multiple points of fire origin in the residence, vulgarities written on walls – including some in cat feces – and evidence of animal abuse. Law enforcement reported Hanes admitted to killing one cat, while a second cat was later found alive in a dryer.
Hanes is charged in that case with felony arson, animal cruelty, and first-degree criminal mischief. Bond for those charges was set at $75,000.
The case continues to unfold as authorities work to address the new charges and the severity of the allegations related to the original arrest.