Four people, including two Mississippi State students, have been charged with aggravated assault or conspiracy to commit a crime, after assaulting a 19-year-old female.MSU students Jenna McDowell, 19, of 1590A St. Andrew’s Lane, Starkville, and Bailey Rihner, 20, of 1164B Inverness St., Starkville, were charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit a crime, respectively.
East Mississippi Community College student Amanda Harris, 21, of 1165E Inverness St., Starkville, and Jennifer Pearcy, 21, of 340 Arbor Drive, Ridgeland, were charged with aggravated assault.
The Starkville Police Department refrained from releasing the victim’s name for security and privacy reasons.
The incident happened early Saturday morning at the victim’s home on Crossgate Street, SPD detective Laura Hines said.
According to Hines, McDowell and the victim had a disagreement at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house Friday night.
“Initially, the victim was cursed by an individual at the party,” Hines said.
SAE members were not involved in the incident, she said.
The victim left the SAE house after the altercation and went to her home.
Hines said the suspects remained at the party and were still angry about the incident.
The four suspects and several others appeared at the victim’s house at approximately 3:30 a.m., Hines said.
They proceeded to knock on her doors and windows. They also tried to reach her on her cell phone to wake her up and ask her to come outside, she said.
“Finally, after several minutes of hearing the knocking, she came outside,” Hines said.
The three female suspects, McDowell, Harris and Pearcy, attacked the victim once she opened her front door, Hines said.
Rihner, the only male suspect, watched the assault and left with the female suspects after the fight, she said. There were other individuals at the scene but they were not charged.
“They did not get involved. Therefore, they were not charged,” Hines said.
The victim suffered a concussion and a broken elbow, as well as many large bruises, cuts and scratches. She was treated at the hospital Saturday and reported the incident on Sunday.
Hines said the four suspects turned themselves in on Wednesday after being advised to do so.
“They were all cooperative to come in and were all released on bond,” she said.
Bond for each suspect was $5,000. Hines could not comment on the court date.
According to a report from the Starkville Daily News, Mississippi law states McDowell, Harris and Pearcy could face up to $10,000 in fines and one to 20 years in prison if convicted. Rihner could face $5,000 in fines and five years in prison.
Alcohol was involved in the incident, Hines said.
Hines said students should be careful about making decisions while angry and while under the influence of alcohol.
“This needs to be a lesson to students, especially because they have a future that they’re working on. Every decision they [students] make will reflect on them,” Hines said.
Sophomore biological science major Meliesha Stockett said assaults and fights like Friday’s incident sometimes remain unpublicized.
“It doesn’t make me feel unsafe, but it makes me want to be more careful with the people I hang out with and the places I go,” Stockett said.