Man charged with severely beating girlfriend

Published 12:00 am Monday, January 24, 2011

By Shelley Smith
ssmith@salisburypost.com
A Salisbury man faces charges after police found his severely beaten girlfriend walking down the road early Saturday.
Tony Johnell Mills, 47, of 808 1/2 W. Horah St., remained in the Rowan County jail Monday under $30,000 bond. His charges include felony assault and kidnapping.
Stephanie Jordan, 28, told police she was out drinking with Mills Friday night and early Saturday, and the two decided to go to a friend’s house at Pine Hills Apartments.
After visiting, Mills went to his car, and Jordan told him she wanted to stay. Jordan told officers that Mills got mad and left, but then came back and asked for Jordan.
The police report stated Mills grabbed Jordan by the hair and dragged her to the car as Jordan struggled to get away. Jordan told police Mills accused her of having a relationship with someone else, hit her while he was driving, and threatened to kill her.
Mills eventually stopped the car, the report said, pulled Jordan out, struck her with a pistol in the back of her head and neck, and kicked and stomped her legs and abdomen repeatedly. Jordan told police that Mills threatened to kill her if she reported the incident.
When Spencer Police found Jordan walking near the Spencer and Salisbury border, they took her to the police office to interview her, but she collapsed. Rowan County EMS took her to the Rowan Regional Medical Center.
The nature of Jordan’s injuries was not known Monday, but she has been released from the hospital.
During the investigation, police received information that Mills may have drugs and weapons in his home, and officers discovered crack cocaine and marijuana during a search, the report said.
He is also charged with possession of a schedule II controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of marijuana.