A 24-year-old Marion County man was arrested following a drunken argument with his fiancée after he allegedly struck her with his car.
On Friday, October 3, an eyewitness contacted the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and advised that two individuals – a man and a female victim – were arguing inside a car on E Highway 316 in Fort McCoy, according to the arrest report.
The eyewitness stated that during the verbal altercation, the victim exited the vehicle and began walking westbound on the roadway. The man – later identified as Thomas Jason Dale Shaffer – allegedly drove his car towards the victim and hit her with the vehicle.
Shaffer then allegedly stopped the car, picked up the victim, placed her inside the vehicle, and yelled that “everything was fine.” The eyewitness added that Shaffer and the victim left the incident location in the car, which was traveling at a high rate of speed, according to the report.
An MCSO deputy responded to the incident location and spotted a single gray Reebok shoe at the scene. The deputy further noted in the report that a computer search of the car’s tag number revealed that it belonged to Shaffer.
The deputy responded to a local residence, where Shaffer and the victim were located. The victim screamed at the deputy to “take (Shaffer) away,” according to the report.
The victim had “scratch marks and bruises” on her arms, which were allegedly caused when she “fell out of the vehicle.” According to the victim’s statement, she had been drinking at a party with Shaffer when he accused her of cheating, which led to an argument.
During the argument, the victim advised that she told Shaffer to “take her home” in the car, though she did not remember getting out of the vehicle or being hit by it, according to the report.
The deputy mentioned in the report that Shaffer’s car was observed outside the home, and it had sustained damage to its front section. A single gray Reebok shoe was also spotted inside the vehicle, near the driver’s seat.
After being read his Miranda rights, Shaffer told the deputy that he had gotten into a “heated” argument with the victim inside his car. He claimed that the victim had exited the car and was walking down the roadway when he “drove the vehicle towards her,” according to the report.
Shaffer allegedly told the deputy that he “did not remember striking (the victim) with the car.” The report stated that Shaffer admitted to being intoxicated at the time of the incident, and he claimed that the victim was drunk as well.
In the report, the deputy said that “a strong odor of alcohol” was detected on Shaffer’s breath.
Shaffer was placed under arrest and booked into Marion County Jail. He was released the following day after posting bond, and he is being charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Jail records show that Shaffer is scheduled to appear in court at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, November 4.