Domestic disturbances end with trips to jail

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River Falls police were kept busy separating people fighting in their homes this past week. After 2 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, a 41-year man was arrested for domestic battery and disorderly conduct at his Bobwhite Street address. Officers were sent there for an intoxicated couple fighting. The man was said to have tried strangling the woman.

The man who answered the door was the husband. He had bite and scratch marks, plus bruises, but allegedly admitted to either throwing or pushing his wife to the floor.

The alleged 34-year-old victim said her husband came home late, they had a drink, then he accused her of having an affair.

The woman said the arguing turned to fighting, and that she was spit on and choked. She said she fought back, but that her husband is much bigger and stronger, and had also thrown her cellphone away.

The man was taken to county jail in Ellsworth.

Just before 1 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24, a 37-year-old woman was arrested for domestic battery and disorderly conduct at her Pine Ridge Terrace home.

The husband, the alleged victim, met police and said his wife had hit him seven times in the head. He wanted medical attention.

The wife allegedly came to his room while he was sleeping, woke him, tried to talk, even cuddle with him. When he didn’t respond she allegedly attacked him.

Police say the woman wouldn’t say much about the alleged assault. They describe her as intoxicated. Three children were sleeping at the time. They were apparently undisturbed.

The woman was brought to county jail in Hudson.

Police also arrested a 21-year-old River Falls man for disorderly conduct, trespassing and obstruction at an apartment building at 117 Church Street just after 4 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 26.

The man, who also lives in the building, allegedly forced his way into a woman’s apartment. Another man who was there said the 21-year-old was yelling for his girlfriend.

Told she wasn’t there, the 21-year-old charged and grabbed the other man by the throat. The two ended up grappling in a closet before the 21-year-old was forced to flee.

He was found by officers back in his own apartment and handcuffed. He wore only jeans but refused to put on coat and shoes before being escorted to a squad car.

While being taken to county jail in Ellsworth, the 21-year-old allegedly began swearing at the officer and banging his head on the inside back of the car.

Police Chief Roger Leque says his department is doing further investigation of a Sunday evening, Feb. 26, blaze at 1970 Pika Trail #E (just east of the hospital/clinic). Tenants apparently snuffed out the flames of a kitchen fire they say was started by bacon grease on the stove.

Burning debris was hauled outside and doused by snow. The inside of their home was filled with smoke and had singed carpeting and a charred floor.

The police follow-up investigation to this incident is unrelated to arson, according to Leque.

For more, please see Police Beat in this week’s print edition of the River Falls Journal.

Tags: river falls, news, crime, courts