JONESBORO, Ark. — A criminal mischief charge against a Jonesboro woman accused of spray-painting her ex-boyfriend’s car has been dismissed after prosecutors said the alleged victim was either unavailable or uncooperative.
Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge Scott Ellington signed an order of nolle prosequi in the case on Wednesday, effectively dropping the charge against Kharisma Cunigan.
Court documents submitted by the prosecuting attorney’s office indicated the decision stemmed from the victim’s lack of participation in the case.
The charge related to an incident reported on May 14, when Jonesboro police responded to a call at a gym on Race Street. According to an affidavit, the victim alleged that Cunigan, his former girlfriend, spray-painted his vehicle while he was inside the gym.
The victim told police that a friend had alerted him to possible damage to his car. Upon investigating, he discovered the front of the vehicle had been spray-painted. He then requested to review the gym’s surveillance footage and said he observed Cunigan park in front of his vehicle and appear to spray-paint it.
Officers reviewed the footage and noted that it showed a car arriving at the parking lot, parking near the damaged vehicle, and a woman identified as Cunigan exiting the car. She was seen retrieving items from the vehicle, then walking near the victim’s car while holding one of the items.
The victim estimated that repairs to the vehicle would cost $4,416.49.
On June 3, Craighead County District Judge David Boling issued a warrant for Cunigan’s arrest. She was later taken into custody at her home and booked into the Craighead County Detention Center without incident.
This week’s dismissal formally ends legal proceedings in the case, as no further action is anticipated due to the absence of participation from the alleged victim.