Husband/wife altercation leads to assault charge

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Assault arrest Maricopa
A Maricopa woman is facing an assault charge after a Sunday morning incident in which she threw a vape pen at her husband, cutting his head.

A Saturday night altercation between a Maricopa couple led to charges of aggravated assault, possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct/domestic violence.

Police were called to a residence on W. Vera Cruz Dr. in Maricopa Saturday at 4:47 p.m. for a report of a strangulation. The person who reported the incident to police told MPD officers that a minor boy had come to their home and told them his father was beating up his mother.

Officers heard screaming from inside the home on W. Vera Cruz upon arrival and contacted David L. Donis, who lives at the residence. Donis told MPD nothing physical had happened and that markings on the victim’s neck could be from her son. Donis told police the boy has a habit of jumping on his mother and grabbing her around the neck.

Officers contacted the victim, who stated that Donis pulled her hoodie over her head then put his arm around her neck and throat and applying pressure and demonstrated for officers how Donis did so. She said that Donis then began dragging her from the front yard into the residence.

Once inside the residence, the victim said she was cornered near the front door where Donis began pulling her hair and yelling at her. The victim’s two children were present for the altercation.

During a search prior to Donis’ arrest, police found various plastic pipes and foil in his pants pocket.

The arresting officers observed redness, scratches and bruising on the right and left sides of the victim’s neck, with the scratches appearing directly below her jawline. The injuries were consistent with her account of the incident, and of someone being strangled.

She reported that she was having difficulty swallowing, and that it was painful to do so. The officer also noted that her voice was raspy during the interview process, and she continued to clear her throat throughout.

Donis was placed under arrest at 5:37 p.m. and booked into the Pinal County Jail on charges of aggravated assault – strangulation (domestic violence); possession of drug paraphernalia; and disorderly conduct (domestic violence).