Woman faces elder abuse charges

BENTON, Mo. -- A Scott County woman faces felony elder abuse and assault charges after allegedly striking two relatives.

Amber E. Thomure, 30, is charged with two counts of felony second degree domestic assault, felony resisting arrest and two counts of misdemeanor third degree elder abuse, according to online court records.

About 5 p.m. July 24 an officer with the Scott County Sheriff's Department responded to a residence on county highway 346 in Benton in reference to an assault, according to the probable cause affidavit provided by the Scott County prosecuting attorney's office.

Upon the officer's arrival, he made contact with a couple who were over 60 years of age and said they had been assaulted by Thomure, who is their relative. The elderly man said he observed Thomure with a whiskey bottle in her hand, and he attempted to get the bottle from her, but she shoved him and then pushed him down on the kitchen floor, the probable cause statement said.

The elderly female told the officer she observed the incident and then attempted to get the bottle of whiskey away from Thomure, according to the probable cause statement. The woman said when she took the bottle away, Thomure grabbed her right arm and twisted it back. Thomure then allegedly slapped the woman several times in the face, according to the probable cause statement.

The woman said Thomure then left the residence on foot. Officers saw Thomure running through a field away from the home, and she was located about half a mile away from the home. She also appeared to be extremely intoxicated, according to the officer.

Thomure was placed in handcuffs, and when the officer began to place Thomure in the front of the patrol vehicle, she began screaming, cursing and asking why she was under arrest. After the officer informed Thomure of the charges, the officer said Thomure began pulling away and pushing toward him in an attempt to get away.

Ultimately, Thomure was placed in the front seat of another deputy's vehicle and transported to the officer's patrol vehicle. According to the officer, Thomure was continuing to curse and scream uncontrollably at both the officer and the other deputy. She was transported to Scott County Jail.

Bond was set at $10,000, and Thomure was ordered to have no contact with the victims. She appeared Wednesday before Judge Scott T. Horman in Scott County's Associate Division Court, where she entered a a plea of not guilty.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Aug. 16 before Horman. As of late Friday, she remained in custody at the Scott County Jail.

For this story and more, see the weekend edition of the Standard Democrat.