Homeless man accused of assaulting woman, child
A homeless man was jailed after allegedly assaulting his girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter Thursday night in Washington.
Washington police responded to a domestic call in the 400 block of Ewing Street. When they arrived, the 13-year-old ran outside yelling, “Help, they’re inside. He keeps choking her,” the criminal complaint said.
Police said James A. Trussell, 35, was on top of the woman, and officers pulled him off. Police said there were large red marks and bleeding lacerations on the woman’s neck. Trussell allegedly pushed and pulled away from police, and it took multiple officers to handcuff him.
The woman told police Trussell was intoxicated and asked to use her car. When she refused, he allegedly became “irate” and poured a drink on her, the complaint said. He allegedly grabbed her by the throat, pushed her to the couch and continued to choke her to the point where she couldn’t breathe, police said.
Police said the 13-year-old tried to pull Trussell off her mother, but he allegedly slapped the girl in the face, leaving a mark.
Trussell was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation, simple assault, resisting arrest and harassment. He was arraigned Friday morning by District Judge Jesse Pettit and put in jail on $200,000 bond.