A Willow Springs man has been charged with eight felony counts after allegedly using a belt to assault two of his children.
Hank L. Loman, 50, is charged with four counts of armed criminal action and two counts each of child abuse and first-degree child endangerment, creating a substantial risk.
A warrant with a $10,000 cash or corporate surety bond was issued April 15 for Loman, and he was arrested on that warrant April 26, according to court records, which also show Loman filed a memorandum to change the bond to personal surety through his attorney, D. Colin Young. On April 30, the request was granted by Associate 37th Circuit Judge R. David Ray and Loman was released on his own recognizance, the docket shows.
Having waived formal arraignment and pleaded not guilty to the charges, Loman is set to appear for a preliminary hearing June 12 before Ray, according to the records.
Willow Springs Police Officer Cary Gates reported on March 14 his department received a call from Howell County 911 regarding a domestic assault in progress at a location off of Highway 76.
A woman there reportedly told Gates her husband, Loman, had gone into the home and began to hit the two children with a belt, then left because he knew the police were coming.
In a more detailed statement, the woman said the two children were in a fight over a cat and she had just broken up the fight when Loman began the alleged assault.
After Gates and another officer failed to locate Loman after several hours the woman and children were offered assistance in finding alternate shelter if they wanted it, and told law enforcement they would find another place to stay for their safety.
A condition of Loman’s release from custody, court records show, is that he is not to discuss the case with the victims or witness.
The case is being prosecuted by Howell County Prosecuting Attorney Mike Hutchings and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Rizwan Ahad.
