Pocatello man awaiting sentencing for 2021 attack on neighbor
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POCATELLO — A man who attacked a woman with a shovel is due to be sentenced this month.
Douglas Eric Simmons, 49, was arrested in 2021 and charged with aggravated battery, burglary and a deadly weapon enhancement. He has since reached a plea deal with the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office. As part of the deal, he pleaded guilty to burglary and in exchange, the other charges were dismissed.
The assault occurred just before midnight on July 21, 2021, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Pocatello police responded to a 911 call on the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue. The caller told police that her neighbor, Simmons, had broken the window on her front door and vandalized her front yard.
When officers arrived, they learned that the victim had paid Simmons, on multiple occasions, for yard work. The victim told officers that after being told she was paying Simmons too much for the work, she decided to hire someone else and informed Simmons of the decision on July 17.
The victim said that Simmons had been harassing her since.
Prior to coming to and damaging the victim’s home, Simmons texted the victim a threat, according to the affidavit.
“I’m on my way to your house to kill you and whoever stands in my way,” the text message read in part.
A short time later, the victim told police, she heard someone yelling in her front yard. When she looked out the window, she saw Simmons using a shovel to dig up plants in her yard.
He then used the shovel to break the window on her front door. He reached through the broken window, she said, and unlocked and opened the door.
The victim told police that Simmons said, “I will teach you not to f*** with me,” as he opened the door.
Once inside the home, the victim said, Simmons hit her on the left side with the shovel. The victim told officers she thought Simmons was going to murder her.
She ran toward the back of the house to escape, then realized Simmons was not chasing and had left.
Officers requested EMS to examine what they described as a “large bump” on the victim’s left shoulder. She chose to drive herself to the hospital.
The following day, officers went to Simmons’ home to place him under arrest.
Simmons, the affidavit says, yelled at the officers from inside his garage. He threatened to call the CIA and military, claiming the officers were trespassing on his property.
Officers requested assistance from Simmons’ family members, who came to the home and convinced Simmons to open his garage door. Once they were able to positively identify him, officers arrested Simmons and took him to Bannock County Jail.
Following his plea agreement, friends of the victim reached out to EastIdahoNews.com and said they fear that should Simmons be allowed to return home, he will cause further harm to the victim. The victim spoke with EastIdahoNews.com but said that she would prefer not to comment about the incident until after the sentencing hearing.
Simmons is scheduled to be sentenced by District Judge Rick Carnaroli on March 27. The maximum sentence for burglary is 10 years in prison.