A Wayne County Circuit Court jury found Jonathan Anthony Enos, 36, guilty of a reduced misdemeanor charge of aggravated assault in the Aug. 30 incident in the parking lot of the Applebee’s restaurant in Van Buren Township.
The jury found him not guilty of the felony charge of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder. A felony charge of aggravated assault was dismissed by Judge Qiana Denise Lillard.
The jury trial began on May 2 and Enos was found guilty of the added, reduced charge on May 7. Enos was referred to probation for a pre-sentence report, with sentencing scheduled for June 12.
Enos was charged after the 17-year-old victim Nicholas Franklin was injured on his way to work at Applebee’s. He testified at his preliminary exam at 34th District Court on Jan. 23 that he was driving his car from Haggerty Sub and was at the Tyler Road light at Belleville Road.
He testified that was the last thing he remembered before he woke up in St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. He said he got sutures on his head, a metal plate in his head and was in the hospital for 14 days.
A coworker at Applebee’s testified he saw Enos lift Franklin almost to his shoulders and slam him down on the concrete.
At the preliminary exam, defense attorney Brian Brown said it sounded like mutual combat and there was no intent for great bodily harm. Enos’ arms around Franklin’s waist sounded like the defendant was trying to restrain Nicholas and the defendant did nothing to him once he was on the ground.
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