An Odessa man accused of assaulting another parent while they were picking up their children at Ireland Elementary has successfully completed a pre-trial intervention program and has had his pending charges dismissed.
According to Odessa Police Department reports and Ector County District Court records, Anthony Smith alleges he was in line at the elementary school to pick up his child on March 3, 2021, when Robert Steadham, 42, began to shout profanities and make threats against him.
Smith told police Steadham got out of his vehicle and shattered a window on his vehicle. He further alleged Steadham grabbed him by his clothes, pulled him out of his vehicle, punched and kicked him before running over him with his truck.
Smith told OPD officers he’d had to make a turn-around due to the long line. While trying to make the turn, he got in front of a Ford F-350 and Steadham got upset because he thought he was cutting in line.
Two other parents told officers they saw Steadham hit the man, records show.
Steadham admitted to confronting the other man about cutting in line and breaking the window, but denied hitting him with his truck, the report stated.
Steadham was charged in Ector County Court at Law with criminal mischief, a Class B misdemeanor, and he was indicted on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon felony charge by an Ector County grand jury.
Last June, court records show Steadham entered into a six-month pretrial intervention program with the understanding that if he successfully completed it, both charges would be dismissed. In addition to paying a $500 fee, Steadham couldn’t drink alcohol or take illegal drugs, had to submit to alcohol and drug testing, was prohibited from going to bars and clubs. He was also required to submit a monthly report to pretrial intervention staff, abide an 11 p.m. curfew, perform 30 hours of community service every month and stay within the confines of Ector and Midland counties.
In addition, Steadham had to complete classes, services or counseling as deemed necessary by pretrial intervention officers, pay a $60 month fee and $983 in restitution.
The criminal mischief case was dismissed Dec. 21 and the assault charge was dismissed Wednesday.
Smith filed a civil lawsuit against Steadham March 2. He’s seeking damages of $250,000 or less, court documents show.
