Domestic assault charges land man in jail

A man faces domestic violence charges after an incident Tuesday night at a home on West Edwards Avenue in Maricopa.

Shawn Baptisto, 36, was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault/Domestic Violence, Aggravated Domestic Violence and Disorderly Conduct/Domestic Violence, according to police.

Because he had four domestic arrests within an 84-month period, Baptisto was charged with Aggravated Domestic Violence, police said.

Officers were summoned to the home, where Baptisto’s wife said she and her husband had been in a verbal argument during which “he physically assaulted her by restraining her to the bed with his body weight,” according to a probable cause statement.

During the argument, the victim said Baptisto attempted to use his forearm to hold her down, and in the process, hit her in the lip, causing it to bleed and swell, the probable cause statement said.

Police said Baptisto left the home before Maricopa police arrived Tuesday night. When he was located, he allegedly told officers he left the home due to his prior criminal past and his belief he would be arrested by police in the incident, police said.

Upon his arrest, Baptisto allegedly told officers he and his wife were wrestling on the bed for his phone, and he may have inadvertently struck her while trying to get the phone back, police said.

Baptisto was booked into Pinal County Jail on the charges, police said.