An Elizabethton man faces a domestic assault charge after police say they responded to his home three times within three hours on reports of disturbances.
Officers of the Elizabethton Police Department arrested Jeremy Gardner, 40, of 412 Ferguson Ave., Elizabethton, Wednesday afternoon and charged him with domestic assault.
EPD Cpl. Matthew Taylor responded to the home at 412 Ferguson Ave., around 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday on a report of an intoxicated male subject who had broken a window in the home.
“Upon arrival, I made contact with Jeremy Gardner. Gardner had a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his person,” Taylor said. “I had dealt with Gardner approximately two hours prior.”
During that earlier encounter, Taylor said both Gardner and a female at the home were intoxicated and had been arguing. The woman agreed to allow Gardner to sleep in the cabin of his semi-truck parked at the home until he sobered up, Taylor said.
“After (I) left the first time, Gardner exited the truck and began yelling at (the woman). During the argument Gardner was using profanity and then broke a window on the residence,” Taylor said regarding the incident that led to him returning to the home. “This was the third call for service at this residence since (3 p.m.) today.”
In addition to Taylor’s previous call to the home, EPD Cpl. Sarah Ellison-Dingus also answered a 911 call to the home around 3 p.m. regarding an argument between Gardner and the woman. In her report on the incident, Ellison-Dingus noted both Gardner and the woman had been drinking alcohol. The woman and two juveniles left the home with a family member to allow the situation to diffuse, according to Ellison-Dingus.
“Due to Gardner’s profane language and breaking of property he put (the woman) in a reasonable fear for her safety,” Taylor said, adding the couple’s juvenile daughter was present during the entire incident. “(The daughter) had recorded (the woman) and Gardner arguing on her cell phone. She advised this was so she could show officers. It appears that this happens frequently enough for a child to understand that she needed evidence for police.”
Taylor said he arrested Gardner and charged him with domestic assault. Following his arrest, Gardner was booked into the Carter County Detention Center where he is being held under a $5,000 bond.