CONTENT WARNING
BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The trial of Timothy Carnes, a 42-year-old resident of Bucyrus, commenced on Thursday at the Crawford County Common Pleas Court.
Carnes is facing charges of felonious assault and strangulation, both of which are second-degree felonies carrying a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. Additionally, he has been charged with aggravated menacing and unlawful restraint, categorized as first and third-degree misdemeanors, respectively. Following his behavior during initial court appearances, he is currently serving a 90-day contempt of court sentence.
The victim, who exhibited visible facial injuries and lacerations, reported the assault by her husband to the Bucyrus Police Department on October 7th.
A jury of six men and six women will determine Carnes’ fate.
Assistant Prosecutor Dan Stanley outlined the case to the jury during opening arguments. He explained that Tim and his wife Tiffany had been married for 20 years but lived separately following their separation. Despite the strained relationship, Tim would occasionally contact Tiffany to request sexual encounters. This was the context on the night of the alleged attack against Tiffany.
Stanley informed the jury that they would hear testimony from individuals residing in the house, including a friend of Carnes’ daughter, who ultimately distracted Tim, enabling Tiffany to leave the premises.
According to Stanley, a fight erupted between Tiffany and Tim in the bedroom on the night in question. Tiffany recalls the altercation, with Tim yelling, slamming her into a wall, slamming her into a door, and striking her head against a sink. She briefly lost consciousness but managed to escape. The male friend, while distracting Tim, overheard him making threatening statements about killing anyone who contacted the police.
Tiffany successfully fled and eventually arrived at the Bucyrus Police Department, where she provided officers with a detailed account of the incident. However, her condition deteriorated, and she had to be transported to a Columbus hospital due to a brain bleed. She suffered a broken foot, cuts, bruises, and visible strangulation marks on her neck. The prosecution emphasized that Carnes displayed no surprise when the police arrived to arrest him.
To further support their case, Assistant Prosecutor Stanley played a recorded telephone conversation between Carnes and his mother. In the call, Carnes became enraged upon learning that his mother could not afford to post bail for him. He claimed that Tiffany fell when he tried to push her away and expressed concern for her well-being. He accused her of intentionally causing harm to herself.
Carnes can be heard describing his wife in expletives, accusing her of cheating and bullying his mother for bail money.
Stanley acknowledged to the jury that both the victim and the defendant were methamphetamine users. However, he emphasized that this fact did not excuse Carnes’ violent behavior. He urged the jury to use their common sense and find Tim Carnes guilty based on the evidence presented.