An Ozark County woman who was arrested last week for domestic assault after her boyfriend was killed following an incident at their residence where he was thrown from a moving vehicle is now facing a murder charge. Forty-nine-year-old Shannon Lori Collins of rural Gainesville is now charged with murder in the second degree, tampering with a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a death, all felonies.
Originally, Collins was charged with domestic battery and leaving the scene of an accident involving physical injury.
Killed in the incident was 55-year-old Mark Ault of rural Gainesville.
According to information from Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin, the incident happened about 10 last Wednesday morning at the residence the two share about six miles west of Gainesville. The sheriff says after an argument, Collins was attempting to leave in Ault’s vehicle and Ault was attempting to stop her and was standing on the running boards of the vehicle. A witness reported Collins accelerated and then slammed on the brakes which sent Ault flying over the hood of the vehicle where he apparently landed on his head, causing a massive head trauma.
Sheriff Martin noted he found Ault lying on the ground with a pool of blood near his head when he arrived.
Ault was taken to Cox Medical Center South in Springfield for treatment where he died the next day.
Sheriff Martin told KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot News, Ault was not run over by the vehicle.
The witness told law enforcement Collins circled back to the area and then left soon after. She was not located until about 13-14 hours later by law enforcement.
Sheriff Martin says they have had multiple calls over the years to the couple’s residence to deal with domestic issues.
Collins is being held without bond in the Ozark County Jail.
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