Man who held woman against her will wants bond lowered but judge says no

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Danny Baird

A man accused of assaulting a female, holding her against her will and threatening to kill her and her child appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court last Monday.

Forty-four-year-old Danny Baird is charged with kidnapping, aggravated assault and terroristic threatening. He has entered a not guilty plea to those charges.

During Monday’s court session a request was made to lower Baird’s $250,000 bond. The state strongly opposed any reduction due to the nature of the charges, according to Prosecutor David Ethredge. Circuit Judge John Putman said he would leave the bond as currently set “for now.”

At the time of the incident, Baird was working for a business known as the “Platinum Internet Lounge.”

According to the probable cause affidavit, the woman said she had been playing video games at the lounge located in East Center Court.

The “lounge” was shut down in July, shortly after the incident involving the victim.

Its operator, Daniel Scallorn of Green Forest, was arrested for keeping a gambling house.

THE INCIDENT

On July 4, Mountain Home police received a report from a third party that a female had been assaulted and held against her will. An officer talked to the victim at Baxter Health where she had been taken for treatment.

She was reported to have suffered injuries to her face, including breaks in the bones surrounding the eye area, swelling to the eyes and lips and cuts on her fingers.

The victim said the cuts were inflicted when she tried to grab a knife in Baird’s possession.

She said Baird had first approached her and said he wanted to show her something.

The victim told Mountain Home police Baird had locked the door to the business and pushed her into a restroom where he allegedly began hitting her with his fist and a flashlight.

UNUSUAL REASON GIVEN FOR ATTACK

According to the victim, the reason given for the assault is that Baird wanted the woman to make a video in which she would admit stealing money from the business.

At one point, the victim said Baird had threatened that if she told anyone about what had happened, he would kill her and her son.

Investigators say the victim also alleged that Baird demanded she raise $5,000 by a certain time and, if she failed, he made the same death threat.

Baird is alleged to have called a friend to pick the victim up and drop her off at a residence in Mountain Home.

He is being held in the Baxter County Detention Center.

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