A Midway man accused of taking part in a physical altercation at a residence on County Road 905 pleaded not guilty to several charges during a Monday appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court.
Dillon Paul Page, 31, faces charges of second-degree battery, third-degree domestic battery, and public intoxication stemming from the alleged October 15 incident. During the court proceeding, Page's bond was reduced from $7,500 to $5,000. His mother informed the court that Page would be living with her. As part of his bond conditions, he was ordered to have no contact with the victims.
The altercation began after Page reportedly became upset while playing a game on a PlayStation console with a female at the residence, according to the probable cause affidavit. The woman told a responding Baxter County Sheriff’s deputy that Page became increasingly angry about a malfunctioning controller. A verbal fight allegedly escalated into a physical one, with Page accused of shoving and hitting her.
An 82-year-old man who lived at the home reportedly intervened, but Page allegedly confronted the man, shoving him down the porch steps and causing injuries to his arms. When the older man got up, Page is said to have shoved him into a wall. The affidavit further states that a younger male at the residence entered the confrontation to try to protect the elderly man, who is a cancer patient taking blood-thinning medication.
The deputy on the scene requested medical assistance for the older victim, and a crew from Baxter Health responded to provide care.
After the incident, Page reportedly left the residence and headed toward the Dollar General store in Midway. A second deputy located him and placed him in a patrol car. The original deputy later spoke with Page, who claimed the altercation began as a verbal argument between himself and the woman, alleging he had been assaulted by others who became involved.
The deputy noted the smell of alcohol on Page, who admitted to drinking and submitted to a preliminary breath test. The test indicated a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.24%, a level Arkansas law considers "highly intoxicated." By comparison, a BAC of 0.08% constitutes legal intoxication for operating a vehicle, and medical sources classify BAC levels exceeding 0.31% as potentially life-threatening.
The investigation into the case continues, and Page's next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.