Man charged after allegedly attacking parents, hitting both with a dumbbell
A local man was arrested on felony charges Monday night after allegedly attacking his parents, biting them and hitting both of them with an 8-pound dumbbell.
James Matthew Clifton, 31, of 210 Merganser Trail, was taken into custody at his residence shortly after 7:30 p.m. and charged with two counts of second-degree domestic battery, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Clifton, who lists no prior criminal history, remained in custody Tuesday on zero bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Garland County sheriff’s Deputy Mason Robinson was dispatched to the residence regarding a physical disturbance.
Clifton’s mother told dispatchers her son had hit his father who was “bleeding from his head” and “barely awake.”
Robinson was let into the residence by the mother who told him her son, identified as Clifton, was in his bedroom. The deputy located Clifton there lying in his bed and asked him what happened.
Clifton allegedly stated he “just woke up” and that someone had scratched him. When asked if he had anything to drink, Clifton said yes, but also noted he was on new medication.
Robinson spoke to Clifton’s parents, who stated they had gone into their son’s room to check on him because of the new medication he was on and because he was “acting strange.”
The father stated when he entered the room, Clifton started to yell at them and then he head-butted his father in the face, causing both of them to fall to the floor. As he tried to get control of his son, he said Clifton continued hitting and biting him.
Clifton’s mother said she tried to help her husband get away from Clifton and in the process, she was bitten by him.
Then Clifton allegedly grabbed an 8-pound dumbbell that was next to the bed and struck his father in the head and his mother in the face with it.
Robinson noted the father had several red marks on his arms, a bite mark on his chest and a red mark on his forehead from the dumbbell. His shirt also had blood stains on it and he had dried blood under his nose and on his face. Clifton’s mother reportedly had a bite mark on her left arm.
Clifton was taken into custody at that point without further incident.