An Izard County man faces three felony counts of aggravated assault after an alleged domestic incident Friday in Melbourne.
According to a probable cause affidavit, 52-year-old Darren W. Wyatt also faces misdemeanor counts of domestic battering in the third degree and interference with emergency communications. Bond for Wyatt was set at $10,000.
Authorities received a 911 call just before 9 p.m. from a woman who claimed White allegedly stated “he was going to kill her.” Two deputies arrived on scene and heard arguing when they approached the residence.
The victim told authorities Wyatt allegedly choked her with his hands and authorities noted red marks and the beginning stages of bruising on the victim’s neck and collarbone area, as well as her T-shirt being torn. During the altercation, the woman attempted to call 911, with Wyatt allegedly taking the phone and choking the victim with it. The victim also reported she attempted to protect herself with a TV remote as a weapon, but Wyatt also used the device to choke her.
In a follow-up interview with the victim on Saturday, the dispute allegedly began when the victim asked Wyatt if he had been going to court-ordered, anger management counseling. Wyatt allegedly provided the victim with an image of a certificate stating he had completed the number of required counseling hours, but the victim asked how that was possible, since there had not been enough time that had lapsed to complete the course.
The affidavit states Wyatt became agitated at that time and told the victim, “his boss had showed him how to get the certificate without actually completing the requirements; and that it didn’t (expletive) matter how, all that mattered was he had the (expletive) thing.”
The investigator also noted the victim had bruising on the neck and collarbone.
According to the affidavit, in a post-Miranda interview, Wyatt stated the argument was verbal only. Later, Wyatt said he had “pushed (the victim) on to the bed by placing his hand on her collarbone region and pushing.” Wyatt then repeatedly denied that anything more physically severe occurred, but stated multiple times that he “was not trying to make excuses for what he did.” The affidavit adds when Wyatt was asked what meant by that, Wyatt quickly reverted back to saying “that nothing had happened.”
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