A Marion County man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a 12-year-old boy and failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. William Parker Hays, 75, of Flippin, is being held at the Baxter County Detention Center with bond set at $15,000.
The Mountain Home Police Department responded to a report on Saturday of a man choking a juvenile at the Executive Inn in Mountain Home. According to the police report, Hays told an officer he had been helping the boy search for an item in a dumpster when the boy threw trash that struck him in the face. Hays admitted to grabbing the boy’s shirt but denied choking him.
The boy’s mother told police that her son was searching for a shoe that had accidentally been discarded when Hays approached and offered to assist. She said that during the search, debris struck Hays in the face after a piece of cardboard was moved. According to the mother, Hays then grabbed her son by the shirt with such force that it choked him and struck the boy’s head against the dumpster, causing a visible knot. The officer confirmed that the 12-year-old had red marks on both sides of his neck and a bump on his head.
A records check revealed that Hays is a registered sex offender in Marion County. Staff at the Executive Inn reported that he had checked into the hotel on October 1 and had booked the room through Sunday. Authorities determined Hays had not registered his temporary residence with the Mountain Home Police Department, as required by law.
Hays is facing felony charges of aggravated assault and failure to register as a sex offender. According to state records, Hays is classified as a Level 2 sex offender, indicating a moderate risk of reoffending. He was previously convicted in another state of lewd or lascivious molestation involving a victim between the ages of 12 and 15.