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FRENCH CREEK -- An Upshur County man faces a felony battery charge after allegedly assaulting his long time romantic partner.
William Thomas Wolfe, 42, of French Creek, is charged with one count of domestic battery third offense, a felony. He was being held at the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on a $15,000 property/surety bond that has since been posted.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Deputy R.T. Lamb with the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 29, at approximately 3:51 a.m., the Upshur County Communication Center received a report of an active domestic violence incident.
A witness advised 911 that they could hear a male and female yelling and that the male was allegedly physically assaulting the female, the complaint states. The witness reportedly further advised that the male was covering the female’s mouth with his hand while she was trying to yell. When Lamb arrived on the scene at 3:57 a.m., the witness directed him to a camper located on the property. As he approached the camper, Lamb reportedly could hear sounds “consistent with a physical struggle” coming from inside.
Lamb announced himself and made contact with Wolfe and the alleged victim, the complaint states. Lamb learned Wolfe and the alleged victim were in a romantic relationship and were living together. In the complaint, Lamb writes he had prior knowledge of Wolfe and the alleged victim as long time romantic partners who have had “previous verbal disputes resulting in law enforcement response.”
The alleged victim told Lamb she and Wolfe had been involved in an “argument,” the complaint states. The alleged victim appeared “visibly upset” and was reportedly reluctant to provide further details regarding the incident. Lamb reportedly observed bruising to the alleged victim’s left arm and the back of her neck. He also reportedly observed fresh blood on her upper and lower lips, and fresh blood inside her mouth. Additionally, Lamb also reportedly observed swelling to both the left and right sides of the alleged victim’s face. The injuries appeared recent, Lamb wrote.
Lamb then spoke to the witness, who reportedly stated they heard the alleged victim screaming, crying and yelling, “Get off me, get off… please get away from me,” the complaint states. The witness said that the alleged victim’s voice then became quieter, “eventually sounding like a low mumble.” The witness also advised that Wolfe and the alleged victim frequently argue, resulting in Wolfe making “physical threats” to the alleged victim.
According to the complaint, a records check through the Interstate Identification Index (III) revealed that Wolfe had a prior conviction for domestic violence third offense from October 2010 and was sentenced to one to five years in Huttonsville Correctional Center.
A preliminary hearing for Wolfe is scheduled for today in Upshur County Magistrate Court.