UPDATE-Malone Arraigned For Williamstown Shooting
By Echo Menges and Mike Scott
According to Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop B spokesperson, Sgt. Brent Bernhardt, MSHP’s Division of Drug and Crime Control is investigating a shooting that occurred at a home in rural Williamstown, MO, at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Friday, April 8, 2016.
“Early (Friday) morning we were called to investigate a domestic disturbance involving two males in rural Clark County. There was a subject who was shot and injured,” said Sgt. Bernhardt.
“It’s an ongoing and criminal investigation,” said Sgt. Bernhardt.
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office declined any further comment, noting that it was a Patrol investigation.
According to the Complaint filed by Special Prosecutor Lindsay G. Gravett, of Lancaster, Missouri, there is probable cause to believe the accused, John Stephen Malone, committed the crime of Domestic Assault in the First Degree, a Class A felony. According to the document, Malone “knowingly caused serious physical injury” to the victim by shooting him in the abdomen, and that “such conduct was a substantial step toward the commission of the crime of attempting to serious physical injury.”
The victim of the shooting, whose name has not been released by law enforcement, was taken to Blessing Hospital in Quincy, IL, with non-life threatening injuries, according to Sgt. Bernhardt.
The accused shooter, John Stephen Malone, 26, of Williamstown, was taken into custody by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and booked into the Clark County Jail on a $75,000 cash only bond. Malone is facing two Class A felony charges of domestic assault in the first degree causing serious physical injury, according to court documents.
On Monday afternoon, April 11, Malone was arraigned before Judge Rick Roberts.
Malone’s attorney, Kristen Williams, filed a motion to release Malone on his personal recognizance.
According to Missouri Case.net, “Defendant is granted PR bond subject to all conditions except house arrest. Defendant is to have no contact with the victim under any circumstances. Defendant is to reside in the home of his father John Stephen Malone Sr. Case is set for preliminary hearing setting only on May 12, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.. So Ordered /s/ Rick Roberts, Judge.”
Last week, Malone was elected to the Clark County Ambulance District Board of Directors.
Editor’s note: We believe we know the name of the other party involved, but since this is charged as a domestic assault case, RSMO 610.100 allows law enforcement to redact the identity of any victim whose security is at risk.
