A local man who was allegedly assaulting his girlfriend earlier this year until he was chased off by a witness with a gun was arrested on a felony battery warrant early Saturday.
Raymond William Clark, 36, of 110 Bendwood Place, was taken into custody at his residence shortly after 5 a.m. and charged with second-degree domestic battery with aggravating circumstances, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of failure to appear.
Clark was being held on a $30,000 bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Feb. 29, around 12:30 a.m., Hot Springs police responded to DeSoto Park, 1700 Park Ave., regarding a battery and made contact with a woman who was visibly bleeding from an injury to her nose.
She told officers she was driving down the road with her boyfriend, identified as Clark, when he began punching her in the face. She stopped at DeSoto Park and jumped out and ran from Clark, who chased her to the north side of Park Avenue.
At that point, Clark was confronted by a man and woman who had seen Clark chasing the victim across the road. The man, who had a valid conceal carry license, pulled out his handgun which prompted Clark to flee into the woods on the south side of DeSoto Park.
The victim was transported by LifeNet to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs where she was treated for a broken nose and a possible brain bleed. She was later referred to a specialist for possible surgery due to the injuries to her nose.
Police spoke to the two witnesses and a warrant was issued for Clark's arrest later that same day.
According to court records, Clark had pleaded no contest on March 20, 2019, in district court to third-degree domestic battery involving the same victim and was sentenced to one year in jail with all but 15 days suspended.