AUBURN – An arrest warrant was issued Jan. 8 for Joseph Larner, 44, of Auburn after  he failed to appear in court for sentencing on a February assault case. Court records say Larner also did not appear in court in August,  September and Dec. 11.

A Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office affidavit says Larner called an assault victim when she was being interviewed by deputies and the call was put on speaker phone. Deputies testified at a preliminary hearing that Larner said he was sorry about hits to the head, pulling hair and threatening with a baseball bat.

At a preliminary hearing, a defense attorney questioned Deputy Eli Davidson as to why the victim waited 24 hours before calling the sheriff’s office, why there were no visual injuries to her face and why the sheriff’s office did not offer her medical attention.