Fairbury Woman Accused of Assault with Bat Has Felony Charge Dismissed

A felony charge against a Fairbury woman accused of assaulting a man with a bat has been dismissed but will likely be re-filed as a misdemeanor.Beth M. Barnes, age 33, appeared in Jefferson County District Court the morning of Thursday, July 3, 2025. David J.A. Bargen was the presiding judge.Barnes was originally charged with second degree domestic assault resulting in bodily injury, a class 3A felony punishable by up to three years in prison, 12 to 18 months of post-release supervision and a $10,000 fine. County Attorney Joseph Casson advised the court he would be dismissing the felony charge. However, he indicated he would be re-filing as a misdemeanor. He did not say what the new charge would be.On September 11, 2024, Jefferson County deputies were dispatched to the 900 block of D Street at approximately 1:09 a.m., in response to a 911 call. According to the arrest affidavit, a woman's voice was heard yelling “get off me.”Deputies entered the residence and found “Barnes was found on her back on the kitchen floor,” being held down by the alleged victim.Once both parties were separated Davis, per the affidavit, the alleged victim claimed, “Barnes struck him in the head with a bat wrapped in a cheese grater.” Deputies reported finding a bat matching the description at the scene.The alleged victim was transported to Jefferson Community Health and Life, where he was treated for “head injuries consistent with being struck with a hard object.”Barnes remains free on a $20,000 (10 percent) bond at this time.

When Smart People Do Dumb Things

Fairbury Woman Facing Felony Drug Charges from 2022 Accepted into Drug Court

Related Articles

High Winds Fuel Multiple Wild Fires in SE Nebraska

Sen. Ricketts Makes the Case for War

City Offices Closed During Move

A Broken Wire Over Railroad Tracks Leaves City in the Dark