A local man was arrested Thursday morning after allegedly attacking his live-in girlfriend, threatening her at gunpoint and not allowing her to leave until Hot Springs police came to check on her.
Jermaine Terel Tyler, 32, of 303 Lakeside Road, was taken into custody shortly before 9:30 a.m. and charged with misdemeanor counts of third-degree domestic battery and second-degree terroristic threatening, each punishable by up to one year in jail.
Tyler was being held on zero bond and was set to appear Friday in Garland County District Court. His girlfriend, 31, filed a petition for an order of protection from Tyler through Garland County Circuit Court on Thursday.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the Lakeside Road residence to check the welfare of the girlfriend after her mother called to report Tyler may have battered her and would not let her leave.
Prior to officers' arrival, Cpl. Mike Brown made contact with the girlfriend by phone and when he asked her if she could talk, she said no. When asked if everything was OK, she did not answer.
Brown arrived at the residence and made contact with the girlfriend on the phone again and she was able to exit the residence at that point. Brown noted upon seeing her she had fresh swelling and bruising to her left eye and cheek and fresh scratches on her face.
She said she and Tyler got into an argument around 2 a.m. which turned physical when Tyler began punching her in the face. She alleged that at one point he pointed a small black revolver at her and threatened to kill her and then himself.
Tyler was asked to step outside and officers noted he didn't have any visible injuries. He said the victim was cheating on him and "they slapped each other around a little." At that point, Tyler was taken into custody without incident.
The girlfriend stated some the altercation took place in the living room waking up their children, ages 10, 8 and 7, who witnessed Tyler punching her in the face. The affidavit states no firearm could be located in the residence.
The girlfriend stated she and Tyler live together and have five children together. In the petition for protection, the girlfriend alleged Tyler had been violent with her before in 2015 causing injuries that required treatment at the emergency room.
Local on 02/08/2020