Marlow man skips out on court hearing

ANADARKO — A Stephens County man slated to plead guilty to choking his girlfriend and starting a fight with his good friend in August 2022 is wanted for failure to appear in court.

The Caddo County District Court issued a felony arrest warrant Monday for Andrew A. Ausmus, 24, of Marlow, who has been free on $10,000 bond since his initial court appearance Aug. 15, 2022, for a felony count of assault and battery by strangulation, as well as a misdemeanor count of assault and battery, records indicate. The felony is punishable by up to three years in prison.

Anadarko police were called to an Anadarko home for a physical domestic call involving Ausmus. Emergency medical services were called when a blood-covered Ausmus was found on the ground leaning up against a car. His face was severely swollen, his left eye was completely swollen shut, his top lip was cut open to the point it didn’t look intact and he had other wounds and injuries, the warrant affidavit states. He was taken by ambulance to Comanche County Memorial Hospital.

Seth Gent, the home’s resident, was found with blood-covered hands. He said he, his good friend Ausmus and Ausmus’ girlfriend, had been hanging out drinking when Ausmus began arguing with the woman. He said Ausmus was on top of the woman, choking her before he got Ausmus off of her, the affidavit states. He said Ausmus hit him first. A second hit from Ausmus sent the friend into a fury, causing the wounds to Ausmus.

Ausmus suffered a fractured eye socket, stitches from his lip to his nose, as well as above the left eye, according to the affidavit.

Gent, 22, of Anadarko, was arrested for aggravated assault. He pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge of assault and battery and received a deferred sentence, records indicate.