A judge has ruled that two southwest Missouri residents will stand trial on charges accusing them of assaulting a 19-year-old Somali woman.
A judge has ruled that two southwest Missouri residents will stand trial on charges accusing them of assaulting a 19-year-old Somali woman.
Michael R. Miller and Ashli M. Helmuth are accused of accosting the woman as she left a Noel park on Oct. 3.
The Joplin Globe reports that a McDonald County judge on Wednesday found probable cause during a preliminary hearing to order Helmuth and Miller to stand trial on charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
The Somali woman testified that Helmuth hit her and Miller shot a handgun in her general direction during the altercation at a Noel ballpark.
Lawyers for the defendants didn’t immediately return calls seeking comment.
The judge set Miller’s initial appearance for Dec. 6 and Helmuth’s initial appearance for Dec. 20.