Man accused of hitting man with pistol in Alabama

A 21-year-old man was taken into custody on Sept. 23 because of an altercation that reportedly occurred on Sept. 6. According to police, the man was drinking with friends at an apartment when he reportedly became angry when his girlfriend would not allow him to drive home several hours later. He then allegedly attacked his girlfriend and another woman, casuing another man to throw him to the ground.

The defendant then reportedly pulled out a pistol after he couldn’t find his car keys and threatened to shoot the man who had tackled him. He allegedly used the pistol to hit the man, and the gun reportedly discharged during the attack, though no one was shot. Witnesses say the shot happened by accident and that there was no intention to shoot anyone. Investigators say the man left the scene before police could arrive and that he did not want to issue a statement to them.

The victim was taken to the hospital for a cut and a bruised face. According to court records, the defendant was initially held at Tuscaloosa County Jail on a $10,000 bond. However, that bond was eventually paid, and the man was released from police custody. He was charged with one count of second-degree assault.

A charge of assault or domestic abuse may carry serious consequences. In addition to possible jail time, a defendant may have a restraining order placed against him or her and lose visitation rights to any children he or she may have. A criminal defense lawyer may be able to create a defense against the charge by arguing that the defendant did not intend to strike his or her partner. It may also be possible to argue that there was no intent to cause injury.

Source: AL.com, “Northport man accused of assaulting girlfriend, pistol-whipping friend who wouldn’t let him drive drunk“, Stephen Dethrage, September 24, 2014