A Springfield man who used a metal rod to assault a co-worker was sentenced to 15 years in prison Friday morning by Greene County Judge Jerry Harmison.
Nathaneal L. Ashton, 40, pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action in August.
At the time of the assault, Ashton was on probation with a suspended imposition of sentence for a 2019 charge of unlawful use of a weapon.
The assault happened on Sept. 19, 2022 at a business’ warehouse located at 2830 N. Oak Grove Ave., and was captured on video by one of the company’s surveillance cameras.
Greene County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Lebeck played the video, which has no sound, in court Friday.
In the video, Ashton and the victim, Dustin Breshears, could be seen arguing. Ashton then took several steps away from Breshears and picked up a metal rod that was about two-feet long. The video shows Ashton then rushed towards the victim and struck him in the head with the rod. The victim fell to the floor and didn't move for about 20 seconds. Another co-worker could be seen helping Breshears to his feet. The victim appeared unsteady, injured and needed assistance walking.
According to Lebeck, Breshears’ suffered a cut to his left ear that required 13 stitches to close, subarachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding around the brain), swelling and pain in his jaw. According to court documents, Breshears suffers from ringing in his ears and has vision problems as a result of the attack.
Lebeck brought the metal rod to the hearing and asked Judge Harmison to hold it.
“Feel its weight. Feel its gravity,” Lebeck said to Harmison, adding that Ashton “swung it at full force at the victim’s head.”
Lebeck pointed out that Ashton had been on probation for unlawful use of a weapon a “mere two months” before the assault in the warehouse occurred.
Defendant says he ‘overreacted'
Ashton’s defense attorney Larry Tyrell asked his client to be sentenced to 10 years in prison for the assault charge, but that sentence be suspended. He asked for Ashton to be assigned to serve more time on probation.
‘Mr. Ashton absolutely behaved inappropriately and used very bad judgment,” Tyrell said. “However, he came forward. He was arrested. He pled guilty.
“I believe he can be rehabilitated,” Tyrell said, adding that Ashton has a supportive family. “I think he learned his lesson very well.”
Ashton spoke to the judge before he was sentenced.
“What I did was wrong. I completely overreacted. I’m ashamed of my actions,” Ashton said. “I deeply apologize to Mr. Breshears and his family.”
Breshears did not come to court Friday because he had to work, Lebeck said.
Judge: ‘You could have killed him'
Before he handed down Ashton's sentence, Harmison explained why probation was not appropriate, and reminded Ashton that Ashton had already been given the benefit of probation for the 2019 unlawful use of weapon charge. Harmison also spoke about the seriousness of the 2022 assault.
“It’s a deadly weapon,” Harmison said of the metal rod. “You could have killed him.”
Harmison sentenced Ashton to 12 years in prison for the first-degree assault charge and three years for the armed criminal action charge. Those sentences will be served consecutively, for a total of 15 years. Ashton was given credit for time served in the Greene County Jail, which is about 400 days.
Under the terms of Missouri law, Ashton must serve 85% of the 12-year sentence — a little more than 10 years — before he will be eligible for parole.
Harmison also sentenced Ashton to three years in prison for violating the terms of his probation for the prior conviction, but ordered that sentence to run concurrently with the 12-year sentence.
Ashton was sent back to the Greene County Jail, where he awaits transfer to a Missouri Department of Corrections prison.
