A local man was arrested on a felony battery charge after an alleged attack on his wife during an argument late Sunday and both he and his wife were arrested on warrants stemming from earlier alleged crimes.
Christopher Rocha, 32, of 214 Beard St., was taken into custody at his residence and charged with second-degree domestic battery with aggravating circumstances, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and misdemeanor charges of theft by receiving, unlawful transfer of stolen property to a pawnshop and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to one year in jail.
Ashley Ann Rocha, 32, who lists the same address, was taken into custody at CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs shortly before 2:30 a.m. on warrants for residential burglary, a felony punishable by up to 20 years, and misdemeanor counts of theft of property and first-degree criminal mischief, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Christopher Rocha was being held on zero bond and Ashley Rocha held on a $9,500 bond with both set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit on the battery charge, around 9 p.m. Sunday, Hot Springs police responded to 214 Beard St. to reports of a man and woman fighting and were directed by a male neighbor who witnessed the fight to a residence down alley 00012, the rear entrance to 214 Beard.
The witness told officers, "He beat the living (expletive) out of her," referring to the man at the residence. Officers knocked on the door and a woman who answered the door told them she had just arrived there. They asked her if anyone else was inside and she said yes.
Officers made entry to do a welfare check and found Christopher Rocha "hiding behind a bedroom door," and noted he was sweating profusely and was unable to follow the officers' orders. He was detained and when asked if there was anyone else in the residence he repeatedly lied and claimed he was the only one.
The woman who answered the door pointed to a backroom where officers found Ashley Rocha lying on the floor. They noted her "face was so swollen and bruised she was barely able to speak." They also noted she was missing several teeth and officers found one tooth on the floor.
The woman told officers she had witnessed a physical confrontation between Christopher and Ashley Rocha so Christopher Rocha was arrested. He initially tried to run but was quickly taken to the ground and in searching his person officers allegedly found two metal pipes with marijuana.
Ashley Rocha was transported to CHI with "severe facial trauma" and a possible back injury. A criminal history check of Christopher Rocha revealed he was previously convicted of domestic battery in Oregon in 2007, 2008 and 2009 and convicted in Garland County involving a previous assault on Ashley Rocha in 2019.
The neighbor told police when he came home he heard a woman yelling, "Help me!" from the backyard of 214 Beard and when he looked over the privacy fence he saw Christopher Rocha on top of his wife "punching her repeatedly in the face with his fists."
Christopher Rocha later reportedly told police he was "coming down off a meth bender" and was "just tired of Ashley starting fights with him."
According to the theft and unlawful transfer warrants, on Feb. 18 a local couple reported the burglary of their residence on Hobson Avenue and the theft of a Nintendo Switch and three games, with a total value of $410.
On Feb. 26, detective Phillip DeFoor tracked the items through Leadsonline and determined they had been pawned at Quality Pawn, 116 Albert Pike, on Feb. 25 by Christopher Rocha for $250. A pawnshop employee noted Rocha had done business there many times in the past and was "known to him on sight."
According to the affidavit on the charges against Ashley Rocha, on Jan. 11, 2020, a local man and woman reported a burglary at their residence on Garland Avenue in which the lower level was entered through a dog door that had been nailed shut. The door was kicked in and some hand tools and a chain saw were stolen.
The woman told DeFoor Ashley Rocha, who she knows, had been at the residence on Jan. 10 and used the shower with her permission. About an hour later, the woman had returned and noted Rocha was gone, but had left her bag behind. She couldn't find Rocha to return her bag so she locked the residence with the bag inside.
The woman said after she filed the police report, she was approached by Rocha who returned the tools and chain saw. She said Rocha apologized for the damage and for stealing the items and told her she had been angry after discovering her bag was locked inside the residence. She admitted to kicking in the dog door and taking her bag and the other items.
Local on 04/28/2020