Man accused of hitting friend in face with brass knuckles, breaking his jaw and fracturing cheekbone
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IDAHO FALLS — A 24-year-old Idaho Falls man is facing criminal charges after allegedly hitting a man in the face with brass knuckles, causing the victim to undergo surgery.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Idaho Falls Police Department, on Oct. 8 at around 1 a.m., an officer was dispatched for an assault.
A woman called police after her grandson returned home from a bar with severe injuries to his face. The officer found the victim’s lower jaw appeared to be broken down the middle and he had blood coming from the back of his head and the side of his face.
The victim was taken to a local hospital. He got a text from his friend, Dominic Perez, that said in part, “Hey man the alcohol got the best of both of us tonight….I love you and I hate how evil alcohol especially tequila can be. Please call me in the A.M.”
The officer interviewed Perez. He claimed he did not remember very much about the night because he drank too much.
The officer asked how the victim’s face became injured but Perez said he did not know. Court documents indicate he said he remembered he and the victim “squabbling” and wrestling while they were walking home but assured the officer he did not do anything to the victim’s face.
Later that day, the officer interviewed the victim again. The victim said he had been released from the hospital after having surgery on his face. He said his jaw was broken in two places, his cheekbone was fractured and he had to have stitches on the laceration on the back of his head. He told the officer they had to put a plate and screws in the front of his jaw to repair the injury, documents said.
According to documents, he still didn’t remember much from the previous night but he said he knew Perez had brass knuckles on him before they went to the bar.
He said Perez had shown him the brass knuckles. The victim recommended to Perez that he leave them in the car for the night but Perez told him that he brought them because people were always trying to fight him and he did not want to leave them in the car, documents said.
The officer then questioned Perez about the brass knuckles. The officer asked him if he had owned any brass knuckles and he at first said he did not, courts documents state. The officer said the victim told the officer that Perez had them. Perez hesitated and then said he did have a belt buckle that had removable brass knuckles on it. The officer asked if they were in the car and Perez said they no longer were.
Perez was arrested and the criminal complaint says he hit the victim’s face and jaw. He is charged with felony aggravated battery and posted $7,500 bail. Perez appeared in court Monday and was issued a no-contact order toward the victim. The charge is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.
Perez is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 9 at 1 p.m.