Dad Tries to Stop Drunk Son From Driving, Family Brawl Erupts

A father's attempt to keep his allegedly intoxicated son from getting behind the wheel turned into a wild family brawl that reportedly involved shoving, choking, fist fighting, a trip to the hospital and two guns seized from a truck. Lawrence County deputies responded to Crown City for what dispatch described as a "heated" domestic violence call between a father and son. According to the sheriff's report, the father said his son had been drinking earlier in the evening and wanted the keys to his truck so he could leave to find his girlfriend. Concerned that his son was too intoxicated to drive, the father refused to give him the keys. That's when things allegedly got physical. The father told deputies his son began pushing and pulling at his shoulders and arms in an effort to get past him and retrieve the keys. The man's stepmother told deputies she was also shoved on the porch as the son allegedly tried to get around his father. She described him as belligerent and said he was trying to fight family members while demanding his keys. The confrontation then moved toward the garage. According to the report, the father followed in an effort to keep his son away from the vehicles. The stepmother called a relative who lived next door for help, telling him the father and son were now fighting outside. That relative told deputies that when he came around the garage, the son allegedly shoved him against a trailer, briefly put a hand around his throat and then threw him to the ground. He said he then watched the son shove his father again, knocking him to the ground. The father reportedly struck his head, attempted to get back up, fell against the garage and went down a second time. Another family member heard the commotion from inside the house and ran outside to help. He told deputies the son was pushing and shoving family members and appeared to be overpowering his father. By the time deputies arrived, the suspect had been secured in a patrol vehicle. Deputies observed that the father appeared disheveled and had scuff marks on his legs and a possibly swollen eye. He complained of pain in his shoulder and arm and told deputies he had heart problems and was taking blood thinners. Lawrence County EMS responded and transported him to a Huntington hospital for evaluation. The investigation wasn't over yet. A family member told deputies the suspect had been carrying a handgun earlier in the day. Deputies asked about weapons in his truck and received permission to search it. According to the report, they recovered a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun. Both firearms were seized and placed into evidence following the domestic violence arrest. Robert J. Clark was arrested on a domestic violence charge and transpoed to the Lawrence County Jail.

Related Content

Cheating Fight Ends With a Night in Jail

Roommate Taser Drama on 4th Street