A 21-year-old man was arrested Tuesday after he reportedly attempted to stop his girlfriend from contacting authorities while she was getting choked.
Thomas Huffman was charged with assault by impeding breathing and circulation (family violence), a third-degree felony, interfering with emergency request for assistance, a class A misdemeanor, and resisting arrest, search or transport, a class A misdemeanor.
The reported assault happened 4:09 a.m. Tuesday at the La Casa Bonita Apartments located at 5025 N. Dixie Ave., an Odessa Police Department affidavit stated.
During the call to dispatch, the caller, who was later identified as Christal Welch, stated she was being choked and provided the apartment number before the line abruptly disconnected, the affidavit detailed.
Welch stated she was arguing with her boyfriend, Huffman, and she further stated that the argument became physical when he put his hands around her throat while she was lying on the bed, the affidavit stated. Welch stated she couldn’t breathe for two or three seconds.
Welch also stated that she was on the phone with 911 when Huffman took the phone out of her hand and she screamed the apartment number as he took the phone away, the affidavit detailed. Welch stated Huffman dragged her by her hair back into the bedroom as she was going to the living room to get away.
Officers saw visible redness on the right side of her neck and a scratch on the left side of her neck, the affidavit stated. Welch also had clump of her hair that was pulled out during the altercation.
As Huffman was handcuffed and escorted to the police unit, he attempted to pull away from officers after reaching the bottom of the stairs. He also reportedly resisted by digging his feet into the ground and locking out his legs.
Huffman was arrested, charged and transported to the Ector County Law Enforcement Center. He has three bonds totaling $35,000 and was still in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, jail records show.
