Russellville councilman facing felony charge following arrest

Thursday, July 5, 2018
Jim Davis

A town official spent part of last weekend in jail after he allegedly attacked another man at the Russellville Post Office.

Town Councilman Jim R. Davis, 52, Russellville, has been formally charged with Level 6 felony strangulation and Class A misdemeanor battery resulting in bodily injury following the Friday, June 29 incident.

According to court documents, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Robert Soilleux and Reserve Deputy Mark Jack were called to Russellville around 10:30 p.m. last Friday regarding an attack at the post office.

While en route, Soilleux spoke to Bainbridge Police Officer Mike Downing, who informed him there had been an altercation, possibly physical, the night before also involving Jim Davis and Johnathon Kashman, the man allegedly attacked on Friday.

Upon arrival in Russellville, Soilleux made contact with a woman who said she witnessed the attack, as well as with Kashman and his girlfriend Britni Alerding, all of whom gave a similar account of the story.

According to Kashman and the witnesses, Jim Davis and wife Devon were already at the post office upon the arrival of Kashman and Alerding. All three said that Davis began punching Kashman in the face as soon as he exited his vehicle.

Kashman told Soilleux he was trying to back away from the attack when Davis wrapped both arms around his neck, squeezing and choking him. Kashman said he was having trouble breathing and could not yell for help.

Soilleux observed that Kashman’s left eye was swollen, red and watery, with cuts around the eye by the bridge of his nose, as well as red, swollen marks by his left ear. The deputy also said there were red marks on the right side of his neck.

Kashman complained of soreness on the left side of his face and right side of his neck, as well as trouble breathing and seeing out of his one good eye. Kashman said he is legally blind in his right eye.

Alerding said that Devon Davis had told her this was only the beginning and there would be more beatings to come. Specifically, Alerding showed Soilleux a threatening Facebook post by Devon from Thursday, June 28, apparently following an earlier incident.

In the post, Devon Davis complained of two people “who thought they could come to my home last night and try to manhandle and intimidate me.” She went on to say, “You are the hunted!”

Soilleux spoke to other witnesses who gave more general statements about the Friday evening incidents, with one woman saying she heard yelling and screaming but could not remember what was said or what she saw.

The woman’s husband would apparently only tell Soilleux that Kashman “got what was coming to him.”

Upon making initial contact with Jim and Devon Davis, Soilleux noted injuries to knuckles on both of Jim’s hands as well as his left forearm. Davis’ explanation for the injuries was that he ”must have gotten these at work.”

Soilleux further stated that Devon Davis was instantly hostile, asking why police had arrived so quickly on Friday after “you take three hours just to call me last night.”

When asked about the Friday evening incident, both Davises denied that anything had happened.

Upon questioning, both admitted they had been at the post office and that other people were there.

However, both stopped talking when asked about an altercation. Devon Davis said she would give a statement only to “Matt,” apparently indicating Town Marshal Matt Biggs, who is also a Putnam County deputy.

Jim simply said, “I’m not going to say anything.”

Jim Davis was then placed under arrest and later transported to the Putnam County Jail. He later bonded out, with his initial hearing in Putnam Circuit Court set for this coming week.

One added element to the case is that Kashman’s children were in the car and observed the alleged beating.

Questioned by Soilleux, the little boy “punched out with his hand repeatedly” and said, “An old, bad man came over and started hitting Dad in the head and hurting him. He was grabbing him and then he stopped,” the probable cause affidavit stated.

Soilleux made a follow-up visit to Kashman two days after the incident, finding he was still having trouble seeing out of his eye and was still in pain.

He told the deputy that he feared there would be retaliation coming from the Davises.

Information is limited on the original June 28 incident, but it seems to revolve around Kashman and another man returning a hand saw to Jim Davis that had been loaned to them by Jim Davis Jr.

Davis has been on the Russellville Town Council since he was elected in November 2015. That was the same election in which Devon Davis came up short in a re-election bid for Russellville town clerk, losing to Martha Mandleco by just three votes.

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  • Gary Busey is on the Russellville Town Council?

    -- Posted by CdaleResident on Fri, Jul 6, 2018, at 5:32 PM
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