Mitchell teen gets prison in Mitchell bat assault

A second man will serve time in prison for his role in an aggravated assault involving a baseball bat last spring in Mitchell.

Brent Logan Zephier, 19, was sentenced Tuesday to five years in prison, with two and a half years suspended, for aiding and abetting aggravated assault. Zephier was initially given a more lenient sentence in September but has since admitted to multiple probation violations.

On March 16, Zephier drove Colin Kelly Stands, 18, to and from the 300 block of East Hanson Avenue in Mitchell, where Stands beat another man with a baseball bat. The pair was arrested March 20.

The victim of the assault suffered facial and skull fractures, as well as a laceration to his left eye.

Zephier was first sentenced Sept. 4 and received 180 days in jail and five years on probation, but admitted Tuesday to being arrested Nov. 20 for possession of less than 2 ounces of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, a violation of his probation. Zephier also admitted to showing up late for 24/7 Sobriety testing on several occasions and testing positive for marijuana on several other occasions, also violations of his probation.

Davison County Deputy State’s Attorney Bob O’Keefe told Judge Rodney Steele that Zephier deserves to go to prison.

“It’s pretty clear court services tried to work with him,” O’Keefe said. “He just didn’t want to comply.”

Stands pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced Oct. 2 to five years in prison, with two years suspended, for the crime. Zephier and Stands have also been ordered to jointly pay $15,495.23 in restitution to the victim.

Tags: baseball bat, news, updates, crimes, assault, local, mitchell, probation