A domestic disturbance at a residence south of Safford resulted in the arrest of a man Friday afternoon after deputies responded to reports of an assault and property damage.
According to a report from the Graham County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched around 1:38 p.m. on March 13 after a caller reported that a man was allegedly assaulting family members and punching holes in the walls of the home.
When deputies arrived, they observed a man standing near a vehicle and yelling at a woman in the driver’s seat. Officers separated the two and began interviewing those involved. Investigators noted the man appeared highly intoxicated and had difficulty maintaining his balance, with a strong odor of alcohol detected on him.
The woman told deputies she had returned home from a therapy appointment to find her boyfriend angry and yelling. Officers observed a small scratch on her cheek, which she said had occurred the previous day.
Inside the home, the woman’s daughter told officers that the man had been drinking and began yelling at her mother. When she asked him to calm down, she said he struck her in the face with a closed fist. Deputies observed redness and swelling on her cheek. She also showed officers several holes in the drywall and damage to a bedroom door that she said the man had caused.
The man denied striking anyone and claimed he had been outside burning weeds throughout the day. However, based on statements from those involved and the visible damage in the home, deputies placed him under arrest.
A preliminary breath test later measured the man’s blood alcohol content at 0.201, more than twice the legal limit. Deputies transported him to the Graham County Jail, where he was booked on charges of assault, criminal damage, and disorderly conduct.
Victims’ rights information was provided to the individuals involved, and the case remains part of an ongoing investigation by the sheriff’s office.
