A night of holiday drinking spiraled into violence, ending with deputies making a felony domestic violence arrest after finding visible injuries and signs of an altercation.
According to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a domestic violence call and were advised while en route that the male involved had left the home in a blue van. Deputies located the vehicle blocking a driveway and made contact with Raymond Jenkins, who showed clear signs of intoxication, including slurred speech, glassy eyes, and difficulty maintaining his balance. Deputies also observed a smear of blood on Jenkins’ jeans.
Jenkins told deputies he had been drinking earlier at a company Christmas party before returning home. He said an argument broke out inside the residence and admitted it became physical, though he claimed he could not recall exactly what occurred.
Because deputies could not access the home due to the blocked driveway, they asked the woman involved to come down and speak with them. She reported that she had gone to bed earlier after feeling ill but was later confronted by Jenkins, who was angry and yelling that nobody cared about him. She said the argument escalated and turned physical, resulting in an injury to her lip. Deputies observed dried blood and swelling consistent with her account. She also reported that a drinking glass had been broken during the incident.
Photographs were taken of the woman’s injury. Deputies later documented a small cut on Jenkins’ hand, though it was unclear whether it was caused by broken glass or the altercation.
Jenkins was arrested and taken to the Lawrence County Jail, where he was booked on a domestic violence charge. A criminal history check revealed prior domestic violence convictions, elevating the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.
Jenkins has since appeared in Lawrence County Municipal Court, where he was appointed a public defender. He is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on December 19.
