By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A woman who said she punched her boyfriend because he “got in her space” had that space limited after being booked into the jail.
Jessica Van Eman, 43, was arrested and booked into the Graham County Jail on July 2 and charged with one count of assault/domestic violence.
Officers were dispatched at about 1:01 p.m. to a residence in the 2000 block of S. 9th Street after a relative of the victim informed them of the assault.
Upon arrival, the victim described Van Eman as an ex-girlfriend who had not lived at his residence in several weeks but still had various property there. He said Van Eman arrived early in the day with more property she wanted to store at his house and when he said no and asked her to leave she struck him in his face with a closed fist, knocking off his glasses.
The officer called Van Eman, who was no longer at the scene, and she agreed to meet.
When asked what happened, Van Eman said she still was living at the victim’s residence but had also been staying at a friend’s residence. She said she was having issues with her friend, so she tried to drop some of her property at the victim’s house.
Upon doing so, she said the victim blocked her path and said she couldn’t leave her stuff there any more and told her to leave. She said the victim “bumped” his stomach on her while doing so and she retaliated from the invasion of her personal space by punching him. She said she had been abused in the past and doesn’t like anyone invading her space.
Van Eman was then placed under arrest for assault/domestic violence and booked into the jail. Her case is being adjudicated in Safford Municipal Court.
