HSV man arrested for alleged battery of girlfriend who suffered concussion
HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE — A Hot Springs Village man was arrested Monday on a felony battery warrant stemming from allegations he attacked his girlfriend at her residence last week, causing her to suffer a concussion and other injuries.
Gavin Arthur Kelsey, 37, of 44 Almanzaro Circle, was taken into custody at his residence shortly after 12:30 p.m. on the warrants for second-degree battery, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of carrying a weapon, punishable by up to one year in jail.
Kelsey, who lists no prior felony history, was initially held on a $26,000 bond and was later released and is set to appear on April 3 in Garland County District Court. A court order barring him from contact with his girlfriend was issued on Monday by Judge Meredith Switzer.
The girlfriend filed a petition for an order of protection from Kelsey on Tuesday which was granted by Switzer on Wednesday with a hearing on the matter scheduled for March 14.
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Friday, Hot Springs Village Police Detective Michael Kliewer met with the girlfriend, who stated she had been a victim of battery and he noted she had multiple bruises on her chest, neck, arms, head and face that appeared to be a couple of days old.
She also reportedly had two “black eyes” with swelling and a bruise on her forehead “with a very distinctive pattern.”
The alleged victim stated she was attacked by her boyfriend, identified as Kelsey, and that they had been in a relationship since July 1, 2022. She stated she was an employee of the DeSoto Club and was working there on the evening of Feb. 15 and Kelsey was a customer.
She said Kelsey was “flirting” with another woman which made her upset and they got into an argument which later “ended up” at her residence on Vaqueria Lane.
She said Kelsey came to her residence around 11:30 p.m., which was captured on her Ring camera at the front door. He had a bottle of alcohol and a semi-automatic pistol “tucked in his waistband.”
The victim states the events after Kelsey’s arrival were “blurry,” but she clearly remembered him striking her with “the bottom of the handle” of the gun in her chest and “sliding” on her back across the floor.
She states she remembers a second instance of being on the floor, “looking up at the ceiling,” but did not know how she got there. The other events that occurred were reportedly “hard to remember” and “still blurry.”
She stated she was not intoxicated and that alcohol was not the reason events were blurry. She said she believed she was struck on the head at some point, causing a memory loss.
The affidavit notes Kelsey left the victim’s residence at 1 a.m. on Feb. 16 and she woke up the next day and sought medical treatment. It notes she “suffered a traumatic brain injury” and was diagnosed with a concussion at National Park Medical Center. She was reportedly able to provide documentation of her treatment and diagnosis.
She told Kliewer Kelsey had been abusive with her in the past, but “never this bad.” She stated he has struck her in the arms and chest in the past and believed he “consciously made attempts not to leave bruising where it would be visible to others.” She stated she was afraid of Kelsey and “fears for her safety.”
The victim reportedly provided Kliewer with evidence that corroborated her accounts of the evening of Feb. 15 and the morning of Feb. 16. He noted he spoke with her fellow employees at the DeSoto Club who corroborated her statement of the events that occurred before they left that evening.
She also reportedly provided text messages between her and Kelsey which showed “the argumentative communications.” She also had photos of her injuries which she had sent to Kelsey after the incident.
Kelsey allegedly responded to the photos saying, “That forehead is weird, you OK?” and “I’m really sorry things ended up like this.”
The affidavit notes the pistol seen on the door camera was identified as a Smith and Wesson model 1911 E series which has “a distinctive pattern on the handle” which looks “very similar to the pattern of bruising” on the victim’s forehead.
The camera also reportedly captured several instances of Kelsey and the victim “walking in and out of the residence.” At one point, the victim comes out crying and Kelsey tells her she “better be right there by that curb.” She then sits down on the parking curb in front of her residence and Kelsey walks over to her and “appears to make her stand up.”
She is heard telling him, “I’m done, I’m done, I’m done,” and then walked back into the residence “still crying” and Kelsey followed her inside.