A Success man was charged Dec. 18 with two counts of third-degree felony assault following an incident that authorities said occurred in October at Mountain Grove.
The dispute arose over a horse, authorities said. Jason K. Beller, born in 1985, had agreed to buy the animal, but the owner was never able to reach him again to finalize the transaction, authorities said. Later, Beller, according to a law enforcement report, arrived and hit a victim twice, struck his ribs and knocked him unconscious. A Texas County Sheriff’s Department deputy said he observed bruising on the ribs. Another man reported he had been kicked in the face.
Authorities said text messages documented that Beller became angry after learning the horse had been sold. According to the report, Beller had agreed to turn himself in at the Mountain Grove Police Department, but didn’t.
Neither victim required medical attention.
Beller also is charged with first-degree trespassing.