Blackfoot man charged after allegedly punching pregnant woman in the stomach
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IDAHO FALLS – A Blackfoot man has been charged after he allegedly strangled and repeatedly punched a pregnant woman in the belly numerous times during a domestic violence incident.
Ruben Hernandez, 34, was charged with the following felonies: robbery, grand theft, domestic battery with traumatic injury, aggravated battery causing harm to a pregnant female or fetus, and attempted strangulation.
If he is found guilty, he could face up to 51.5 years in prison.
According to the court documents, an officer with the Idaho Falls Police Department was dispatched to the residence in Idaho Falls at around 3:30 a.m. on March 4. A woman, 33 weeks pregnant, told dispatch Hernandez had stolen her vehicle and debit card, had assaulted her, and punched her numerous times in her pregnant belly.
The officer reported the woman’s jaw was slanted to the left and crooked, with red marks on both sides of her face and scratch marks on her upper chest, right, and left cheeks. Scratch marks were also found on her upper chest.
When asked about what had happened before calling 911, the woman said she had picked up Hernandez from a friend’s house. While driving back, the man asked to be dropped off at a different spot, and she refused.
This caused a Hernandez to get upset, and according to the woman, he later slapped her. She ordered him out of the car, which he did.
The woman later got a call from him to be picked up at a mutual friend’s house and upon parking outside of the home, she saw Hernandez walk up to the car. The document states the man opened the driver’s door and began to assault her and left, taking her car and phone.
During this, the woman told the officer Hernandez had strangled her, punched her numerous times in her stomach and attempted to break her arm against the car’s door frame.
From the punches to her stomach, the woman told the officer she believed her water had broken.
When asked if Hernandez had hit her in the past, the woman said it had happened, but never this extreme.
Interviewing a mutual friend about the incident, he told the officer he never saw a physical fight, but saw the pair arguing on the lawn after hearing a woman scream.
Hernandez is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing before 7th Judicial Magistrate Judge Wiley Dennert at 1 p.m. April 1.
Though Hernandez has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this article was posted with details that may have served to identify the victim. It has been edited to remove specific details of this case.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline or call (800) 799-SAFE (7233).
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