Athens man indicted for alleged rape of estranged girlfriend

Marian Accardi, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·5 min read

Feb. 17—ATHENS — An Athens man whose indictment was filed this month after he was arrested when his estranged girlfriend made a 911 call while allegedly being raped had previously been indicted for domestic violence against the same woman, but the charge was dropped.

Mark Anthony Craig, 59, was charged with first-degree rape and released from the Limestone County Jail on $65,000 bond, according to authorities.

Court records show that the Craig was also indicted on a domestic violence by strangulation charge in 2015, involving the same woman, and the Limestone County Circuit Court case was dismissed in April 2016, on a motion by the District Attorney's Office.

Authorities said during the 911 call placed by the woman in December, dispatchers could hear evidence that she was being raped. Deputies responded to the residence in the 25000 block of Beatline Road and detained Craig, and the victim was taken to Athens-Limestone Hospital.

According to the office, the woman told investigators that Craig woke her up and demanded that she have sex with him or leave, and as she began to leave, Craig punched her, started choking her and began to rape her.

She said that when he noticed her call to 911, he stopped and told her to get out, and she drove down the road to wait for deputies.

In the earlier case against Craig, the victim said in her statement to authorities in November 2014 that she and Craig, who she identified as her boyfriend, were arguing in a hotel room.

"She stated that he became angry with her and choked her on the bed," according to the police report. "She stated that he had choked her until she was unable to breathe."

The officer said the woman's neck and chest had red marks. Craig told the officer that he refused to leave because the hotel room was in his name and that she had injured herself, according to the report.

Court documents do not indicate why prosecutors dropped the case, but Craig filed a domestic violence-harassment charge against the same woman in 2016. That charge also was dismissed.

Other Limestone County grand jury indictments issued recently:

—Gary Dale Amerson, receiving stolen property.

—Rebecca Marie Bankhead, possession of a controlled substance.

—Eliza Leigh Bass, second-degree burglary.

—Tommie Gene Battles, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

—Jacob Thomas Beam, possession of a controlled substance.

—Samuel Bruce Bentley, possession of a controlled substance.

—James Clyde Brinkley Jr., first-degree receiving stolen property.

—Christian White Brown, possession of a controlled substance.

—Corey Michael Burnside, first-degree theft.

—Jeremy Roy Cameron, trafficking-methamphetamine.

—Harold Richard Canada, first-degree receiving stolen property.

—Kimberly Cardenas, first-degree dog/cat cruelty.

—Jordan Sean Carroll, domestic violence by strangulation/suffocation.

—Maria Lizbeth Chaves, second-degree assault.

—Cody Edward Dempsey, third-degree burglary.

—Wesley William Dempsey, third-degree burglary.

—Alexia Clair Devaney, first-degree receiving stolen property.

—Jessica Nicole Dugger, possession of a controlled substance.

—Carry Ray Dunkerson, possession of a controlled substance.

—Leah Megan Eastup, first-degree theft and obstructing justice.

—Castle Kameron Gately, first-degree receiving stolen property.

—John Michael Gately, first-degree receiving stolen property.

—Rickey Lee Haggermaker Jr., possession of a controlled substance.

—Alex Lee Hancock, possession of a controlled substance.

—Jessica Lynn Hansen, third-degree burglary.

—Stephen Dewayne Harbin, possession of a controlled substance.

—Jason Allen Hargrove, promoting prison contraband,

—Jeremy Phillip Harrell, breaking and entering a vehicle.

—Donna Heist, chemical endangerment of a child.

—Kelly Marie Hogue, third-degree domestic violence-assault.

—Bradley Preston Hovis, breaking and entering a vehicle.

—Trenton Lamar Hoyt, third-degree burglary.

—Billy Wade Jackson Jr., possession of a controlled substance.

—Telly Savalas Jacobs, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act violation.

—Shanique Martindale, second-degree domestic violence-assault.

—Steven Matthew McKelvey, possession of a forged instrument.

—Keshia Dawn McKeown, possession of a controlled substance.

—Charles Thomas Miller, possession of a controlled substance.

—Cierra Shianna Miller, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

—Brandon Shane Mitchell, breaking and entering a vehicle.

—Matthew Scott Munden, third-degree burglary.

—Larissa Marie Nall, possession of a controlled substance.

—Ryan Darnell Owens, trafficking-marijuana.

—Donald Dee Parmley Jr., possession of a controlled substance.

—William Blake Plemons, possession of a controlled substance.

—Paul Alan Pugh, possession of a controlled substance.

—Joshua Cody Reliford, possession of a controlled substance.

—Clyde Norman Reneau, first-degree sodomy.

—Malik Lamont Rhodes, second-degree rape.

—Bradley Michael Rouse, possession of a controlled substance.

—Joseph Wayne Skipworth, possession of a controlled substance.

—Alex Martin Smith, possession of a controlled substance.

—Catherine Paige Smith, third-degree burglary.

—Larry Sneath, first-degree theft.

—Ricky Glenn Stanford, first-degree assault.

—Keontey Staten, trafficking-marijuana.

—Phillip Wayne Stewart, discharging a gun into an occupied vehicle.

—Jamey Ray Thompson, third-degree theft.

—Jarmal Shukur Townsend, second-degree assault.

—Abigail Vandermarkt, possession of a controlled substance.

—Eric John Vandermarkt, possession of an altered firearm.

—Michelle Louise Vaughn, possession of a controlled substance.

—Kendrick Neil Vincent, second-degree theft and third-degree theft.

—Chasity Nicole Vinson, possession of a controlled substance.

—Steven Eugene Weaver, first-degree receiving stolen property.

—Preston White, third-degree burglary.

—Jeffery Joe Wilburn, possession of a controlled substance.

—Bobbie Kay Willard, possession of a controlled substance.

—Jason Eric Williams, possession of a controlled substance.

—Mark Waymond Wilson, first-degree receiving stolen property.

—Zachary Austin Wilson, possession of a controlled substance.

—Joseph Taylor Wise, third-degree burglary.

—Leonard Yarbrough Jr., possession of a controlled substance.

—David Bradford Young, possession of a controlled substance.

—James Donny Young, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

—Gregory Walden Zeitner, first-degree theft.

— marian.accardi@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438. Twitter @DD_MAccardi.