WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) — A man with a history of domestic violence has been charged for allegedly strangling, dragging and hitting his girlfriend over a period of time, according to court documents.
A 22-year-old man, who police say has a history of abusing his girlfriend throughout their relationship, was charged with aggravated kidnapping, a first-degree felony, two counts of aggravated assault, a third-degree felony, and multiple misdemeanors on Mar. 7 and is back in custody as of yesterday, Mar. 10.
The victim, who spoke with police on Feb. 24, reported several incidents between Feb. 10 and Feb. 24 where the suspect allegedly physically harmed her.
In the first reported incident, the victim said her boyfriend head-butted her, pushed her against the wall, and strangled her multiple times. The victim reported pain and swelling, ringing in the ears, and lightheadedness following the strangulation, according to court documents.
Several days later, the victim said she began screaming for help when her boyfriend covered her mouth and put her in his vehicle. She reportedly jumped out of the vehicle at a stop sign and ran to the nearest doorstep when her boyfriend allegedly grabbed her and dragged her back to the car and hit her in the face.
In the final reported incident, the victim attempted to leave during an argument when the boyfriend allegedly stood between her and her car. When she pushed past the suspect and into the vehicle, she called 911 and he allegedly took the phone from her and threw it in the backseat.
Officers from West Jordan Police Department arrived on scene that day and noticed bruising on multiple parts of the victim’s body, according to the affidavit. Police say one bruise appeared to be the size of an orange.
The suspect was arrested on Feb. 24, however, he was initially released on bond the following day prior to the state receiving the case for review, according to police.
Once the charges were filed, police issued a new warrant to hold the suspect in order to protect the victim. The suspect was once again booked on Mar. 10 in the Salt Lake County Jail.
The suspect has previously been charged with domestic violence in 2021, however, police say “the domestic violence tag” was removed with a plea deal for which he is still on probation. In 2021, the victim also petitioned for a protective order, however, that was dismissed later that year.
“This pattern shows that for at least two years, the victim has been abused by this defendant. His actions in this matter show his violence is escalating and the State believes the victim is in grave danger of suffering further domestic abuse or death at the hand of the defendant as long as he remains out of custody,” police wrote in court documents.
The police also said the report of strangulation was “particularly concerning” as victims who have been strangled are 7.5 times more likely to be killed by the same partner later on, according to the documents.
The suspect’s identity has been withheld in this article in order to protect the victim.
Support for victims and survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence is available 24/7: 1-800-897-LINK (5465). If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or in an emergency, please call 9-1-1 immediately
