Man charged with felony battery for allegedly attacking girlfriend
A local man was arrested Friday on felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly attacking his girlfriend during an argument over shoes and taking her phone to keep her from calling for help.
Steven Jacob Norris, 37, of 707 Ward St., was taken into custody at his residence shortly before 5 p.m. and charged with third-degree domestic battery, a felony punishable by up to six years in prison because he was previously convicted last year on a misdemeanor count of domestic battery involving the same victim.
Norris was also charged with a misdemeanor count of first-degree interference with emergency communication, punishable by up to one year in jail. He was being held on a $20,000 bond and was set to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.
According to court records, Norris was classified as a habitual offender in Union County, where he was convicted on April 15, 2010, of theft of property and residential burglary and sentenced to five years’ probation; on Feb. 20, 2015, for delivery of a controlled substance and sentenced to eight years in prison, all suspended; and on June 7, 2021, for breaking or entering and sentenced to six years in prison, all suspended.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 4: 30 p. m., Hot Springs police Officer James Yerina responded to the Ward Street residence regarding a disturbance.
He saw that the front door of the downstairs apartment was open and could hear screaming coming from inside. He then reportedly saw a white male, later identified as Norris, “pulling a white female by her hair” from the bed toward a hallway.
Yerina, who could not see the man’s other hand, drew his service pistol and ordered him to let the female go and put his hands up. Norris continued yelling, but complied and got on his knees and was detained.
Norris allegedly stated they had just returned home from the mall and were sitting on the sofa when his girlfriend started to laugh and grabbed his new athletic shoes and threw them on the floor.
Norris reportedly admitted he “got angry” and pushed her and then struck her in the face. He also noted he believed she was stealing money from his grandmother.
Officers noted marks on the victim’s face, side, legs and neck and she reportedly stated Norris had taken her cellphone to keep her from calling 911. Norris was taken into custody at that point without further incident.