The agreement was made to let an Augusta man accused of a third domestic violence incident to plead guilty and receive probation. But the judge balked.
“The next time she’ll be dead,” Judge John Flythe said Monday, Aug. 29, in rejecting the plea negotiation for Tyron L. Cooks, 21.
In Richmond County Superior Court, Cooks is charged with aggravated assault, false imprisonment and family violence battery. Assistant District Attorney Kyle Davis outlined the case Monday and the negotiated plea agreement for probation, based on the victim’s request to drop the case.
Cooks has been in jail without bond since Nov. 30, 2021 when an officer working security at the Walmart on Deans Bridge Road was told there was something violent going on in the parking lot. When the officer went outside, a woman ran to him for help. She and Cooks and their baby had gone to pick up a prescription, but Cooks got angry at the delay and walked out. She said she was trying to get the baby’s car seat fastened when Cooks hit the gas, and she had to jump back with the baby, Davis said.
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The woman told the officer that Cooks had beaten her and refused to let her leave their home since Nov. 26. At one point, he pointed a gun at her head and threatened to end it all, Davis said Monday. The officer could see the woman was physically injured.
The judge told the attorneys he didn’t believe probation was the appropriate sentence for someone who has put a gun to someone’s head.
According to arrests warrants filed in Richmond County State Court, Cooks allegedly beat the same victim on Sept. 5, 2021 and broke a table and TV, and on July 13, 2021 he allegedly caused lacerations and swelling to the woman’s face and a broken tooth.
Cooks has pleaded not guilty in those earlier cases. A condition of his bond was to attend a family violence prevention class and to have no violent contact with the victim.
Sandy Hodson is a staff reporter covering courts for The Augusta Press. Reach her at sandy@theaugustapress.com.
