On January 30th Riverton Police officers were dispatched to a family fight on Redwood Drive. A caller explained that a man, identified as 22-year-old Marcello Harris, had struck his girlfriend in the face, then left the residence.
RPD officers on scene noted in court documents that the female victim had, “dried blood around her nose and along her jaw-line.” They also observed bruising between her eyes and on her nose.
The woman told officers that Harris began getting angry in the apartment building while eating dinner. She explained that he began to punch the walls. When she asked him to stop punching the walls, she said that’s when he became angrier and hit her in the face.
She continued to tell Riverton Police that Harris broke her glasses with the punch, then sat on top of her. “He put his hands on my neck and started choking me out” she said. After the commotion, the woman’s roommate entered the room and told Harris to let her go.
After Harris fled, the woman told RPD officers she believed that he could be with a friend. When police checked the residence, Marcello was located and arrested.
A records check on Harris revealed that he had two previous domestic battery charges in 2016.
Harris is being charged with one count of strangulation of a household member and one count of domestic battery – 3rd or subsequent. Strangulation of a household member holds a punishment of up to 10 years of imprisonment. The battery charge is punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000.
On February 7th, Harris waived his preliminary court hearing. The matter will be transferred to District Court for arraignment at a later date.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.