A Bena man struck the victim in the head with a metal pipe and tried to attack her with an axe after threatening to kill her, according to charges.
Hank Paush Demo-Pierce, 27, faces three charges: second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, threats of violence and interfering with a 911 call.
According to the complaint, deputies responded at about 1:24 a.m. on October 1 to a report of an assault on Six Mile Lake Road near Bena after the victim called 911. The reporting party told dispatch that Demo-Pierce had left in a vehicle and was armed with an axe. When deputies arrived, they found the victim with blood on her face and knees. She reported feeling dizzy, unable to move her arm and in significant pain.
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The victim told officers she had tried to stop Demo-Pierce from drinking and was concerned about his statements about killing himself. She said Demo-Pierce threatened to kill himself if she left. The two ended up outside, where the victim removed relays from Demo-Pierce’s truck to prevent him from driving drunk, but he put them back in and started to drive away.
The victim tried to stop him by jumping into the driver seat, at which point Demo-Pierce punched her in the leg and threatened to break one of her legs. He then ordered her to get in the passenger seat or get out, and she complied due to the pain.
Demo-Pierce drove to Six Mile Lake Road, where he told the victim he was going to kill her. He then struck her in the head multiple times with a metal pipe. The complaint states Demo-Pierce grabbed a double-sided axe from the back of the truck and tried to hit the victim with it. The victim managed to call 911, but Demo-Pierce took her phone and hung up while she was speaking to dispatch.
As Demo-Pierce held her phone, the victim escaped from the truck and grabbed the pipe he had used to hit her.
Deputies collected the pipe, which was visibly covered in blood, and photographed the victim’s injuries and bloody clothing. Officers searched for Demo-Pierce and eventually contacted him by text. He claimed to have a head injury and cuts on his hands and said he had run out of gas. Deputies found Demo-Pierce hiding under a truck topper in the yard of his residence in Bena.
They obtained a search warrant for the home, where they found blood on the kitchen and living room floors and by the main door. Blood was also found in several areas of the truck, especially around the steering wheel and driver’s area. A double bit hatchet was located in the back of the pickup.
At the jail, Demo-Pierce agreed to provide a statement. He confirmed he had been in a relationship with the victim for over a year and said they had been arguing and things had gotten physical. Demo-Pierce claimed he had been cut on his hands by the victim with a knife and that her injuries were self-inflicted.
The charges include second-degree assault for striking the victim with a metal pipe and attempting to hit her with an axe, threats of violence for telling the victim he was going to kill her and interfering with a 911 call for taking her phone and hanging up during her emergency call.
The charge was filed October 2 in Cass County District Court.
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