Dad Who Attacked Son Takes Plea Deal
Perhaps he didn’t think the jury would see things from his perspective. Perhaps the possibility of spending more than a decade in prison was too much. And perhaps he had a simple change of heart. Either way, whatever his reasoning, just days before his trial the Bay City father who attacked his son with a knife and a car, chose to take a plea deal instead.
According to police records, the event that garnered 50-year-old Mark E. Menerey so many charges to begin with took place on December 11th. Just before 5 am on a Thursday morning, police received a call about a domestic violence scenario.
Officers arrived to find Menerey and his 25-year-old son standing in the front yard, Menery exhibiting black and blue eyes, a bloodied mouth, and blood all over his hands and jacket. When officers were finally able to determine what had happened, they explained it like this:
Menerey and his son were drinking together at home. They got into an argument about bills. Father insulted son, son pushed father around and then told him to leave. The father then attacked his son with a knife, which thankfully did not penetrate the skin or cause any damage. Son then punched father several times, and had to be separated by a friend.
The two finally went outside, and the son moved his car in order to allow his father to leave. But after getting into his car, Menerey decided not to leave. Instead, he drove the vehicle directly at his son and their friend, both of whom were forced to leap to safety.
Menerey’s Chevrolet S-10 crashed into his son’s Chevrolet Tahoe, which only served to reignite his son’s rage. Infuriated by the damage to his vehicle, Menerey’s son then pulled him from the vehicle and commenced punching him.
When officers arrived at the scene, Menerey was thoroughly intoxicated and claimed that his son had been driving the vehicle that caused the accident. He was arrested and charged with operating while intoxicated, third offense, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, and driving on a suspended license.
To get the plea deal, Menerey pled guilty to the DUI charge, and no contest to a single count of assault with a dangerous weapon. In return, the prosecution agreed to drop the second assault charge and also the suspended license charge.
Menerey will be sentenced on June 1st at 8:30 am by Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill. Court records show that Judge Gill apparently intends to sentence Menerey to probation only. It remains to be seen whether or not this is the case.