On January 26, 2023  county deputies requested city officers assistance at an auto body shop  in reference to a possible domestic assault that occurred in the city. Upon arrival two officers made contact with two employees of the auto body shop who stated that a female employee was in the back office and had been in a physical altercation with her boyfriend the night prior. 

The officers then made contact with the female in the back office who was visibly shaken. While speaking to her they were informed of an injury to her right ear. When asked about it she immediately covered her ear, began to shake, and stated that it was “messed up“. The officers asked her if an animal had given her the injury to which she stated “no“. One officer then asked her if her boyfriend, Daniel Crawford, had caused the injury and she nodded indicating that he had caused the injury. At that time they were able to observe dried blood in the upper portion of her right ear. She also said that this was not the first time that he had assaulted her. The officers then observed what appeared to be blood or a red colored stain on the top right portion of her sweatshirt collar. When asked about what the stain was she said that it was food from dinner on the previous evening. One of the officers then asked her how the food got onto her shirt and she indicated that Daniel had thrown a plate of food at her during the previous night and that the food and plate had hit her in the shoulder/neck area as well as her head. 

One of the officers at this time left the auto body shop and went to the Cumberland County Justice Center where he applied for and based on the investigation was granted a warrant for Daniel’s arrest charging him with Aggravated Domestic Assault. While another officer was still on scene he was able to make contact with Daniel through a phone call and Daniel indicated that he was at an address in White County.   White County was then notified, made contact with Daniel at the address, and then transported him to the Cumberland County line where they were met by Cumberland County Deputies who transported him to the Cumberland County Justice Center where he was served his warrant at intake. 

One of the officers also received written statements from two co-workers who the victim had told the full events of the altercation prior to the officers’ arrival. Both witness statements state that the victim had told them that Daniel had choked her as well as beat her head into the bathroom toilet during the altercation. Both witnesses stated that they could see red marks on the victim’s neck area when she had arrived at work on January 26, 2023.