A Marion County man convicted in August for transporting more than a pound of marijuana from California to Bull Shoals aboard a Greyhound bus has been arrested on a felony domestic battery charge. After arriving in Bull Shoals with the marijuana, 33-year-old Robert Essex fought with his traveling companion, 31-year-old Lacey Darnell, over the division of the drug. Essex’s latest arrest stems from him allegedly fighting with Darnell again.According to the probable cause affidavit filed late last week, Darnell told law enforcement she was awakened by Essex just after midnight August 19th, just days after the two were formally sentenced to six years probation for bringing the marijuana from a legal, state permitted farm in northern California. The two had received the cannabis in lieu of payment for work performed on the farm.
In the latest incident, Darnell says after waking her, Essex demanded she fold and put away some clothes. When she refused, they fought. She said Darnell grabbed a bandanna, wet it and began whipping her.
She said their Rottweiler became excited from the commotion and began jumping and scratching her back.
She said Darnell smacked her face with his fist, ripped off her glasses, destroyed them and tried to kick her in the stomach.
During the altercation, her phone was smashed, leaving her unable to contact the police.
She said she let the dog loose because of the commotion. When Essex told her to find the dog, she walked to the ambulance station instead.
Officers accompanied Darnell home, where they found Essex sleeping. He told officers the marks Darnell exhibited were a result of her attacking him.
In addition to the felony, Essex is charged with misdemeanor counts of interference with emergency communication and violation of a protection order.
His bond was set at $10,000.
Last November, Darnell went to the Bull Shoals Police Station seeking help after she and Essex fought.
The investigation revealed Essex pushed Darnell to a bed, striking and biting her on the right side of the face, and stepping on her leg while wearing work boots. Darnell also said during their scuffle Essex pushed her into a wall heater.
When officers went to the home to question Essex, they reported observing a small baggie in an open cigar box on the kitchen table in plain view. Inside the baggie was a green, leafy plant type substance believed to be marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia.
As an officer moved into the living room searching for the heater Darnell had referenced, he observed a plastic bag containing more than a pound of the green, leafy plant type substance in plain view directly below the heater. The substance field tested positive for marijuana. The affidavits note other drug paraphernalia was located in the home, along with plant seeds.
Essex said the two had returned from California after transporting the marijuana inside Darnell’s backpack on a Greyhound bus. Essex said the cannabis was triple vacuum sealed to mask the odor on the bus.
Darnell denied knowledge of transporting the drug from California, saying she assumed Essex packed it in his luggage.
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