Man charged with punching girlfriend
Joe Johnson
jjohnson@onlineathens.com
A 29-year-old man was arrested Wednesday night after he punched his girlfriend in the face on East Clayton Street, Athens-Clarke County police said.
The alleged assault was reported about 9:30 p.m. by a witness, police said.
When officers located the suspect and victim, the woman's eye was beginning to swell. She told police the suspect hit her but didn't want him arrested.
The suspect, who had an odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath, denied hitting the woman, with whom he lived on Sycamore Drive, police said.
The suspect was charged with battery under the state Family Violence Act and also with misdemeanor marijuana possession, police said.
Anyone who is in an abusive relationship can seek advice and services by calling Project Safe's 24-hour hotline at (706) 543-3331, or by visiting http://www.project-safe.org.