A Mountain Pine man was arrested Thursday night for allegedly assaulting his wife as she held their 3-month-old child, who was reportedly injured, earlier in the day.
William Anthony Harris, 22, who lists an Alinco Lane address, was taken into custody shortly before 9:30 p.m. and charged with a felony count of second-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of third-degree domestic battery, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Harris remained in custody on zero bond and was set for a plea and arraignment in Garland County District Court on Friday.
According to the probable cause affidavit, around 2 p.m. Thursday, Garland County sheriff's Deputy Richard Huffman took two domestic battery reports while working security at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs involving a woman, 19, and her 3-month-old child that had occurred earlier.
The woman said she was holding her son when her husband, identified as Harris, started pulling on the child and slapped him in the face knocking her down and causing her to drop the child. She said the child hit his head on the ground and he sustained minor injuries to his face, so she brought him to the emergency room for treatment.
She also noted Harris struck her in the nose and on the right side of her face during the argument, causing redness to her face. Harris' grandmother, 55, reportedly witnessed the incident and the injuries to both victims.
Around 9 p.m., one of the Mountain Pine marshals reportedly spotted Harris at the intersection of Alinco Lane and Sentinel Drive changing a flat tire on his 1998 Lincoln Navigator. Deputy Stacy Morgan responded to the scene and made contact with Harris and took him into custody on the two battery charges.
Harris reportedly made several spontaneous statements while en route to the jail that he did not mean to hurt his son and didn't mean to knock his wife or his son down. He said his grandmother jumped on his back during the argument with his wife, knocking him into his wife and causing the three of them to fall to the ground.
He said while he was trying to get up his grandmother was still on his back and when he tried to twist away from her he accidentally struck his wife in the face with his arm. He also alleged his grandfather arrived on the scene at one point and punched him in the face for no reason.
Local on 12/16/2017