MITCHELL – Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies on Sunday, April 14, responded to a report of a domestic dispute after a neighbor called 911 to report a woman had been injured.
Deputies Robin Compton, Thomas Porter, and Brenton Tureblood responded.
A woman reported her boyfriend, 33-year-old Christopher Tolbert, had injured her during the dispute. She had run to a neighbor’s house for safety.
As Deputy Porter and Compton were turning onto Peaceful Valley Road they spotted Tolbert leaving the scene in a red Ford pickup. Officer Compton stopped his vehicle in front of Tolbert’s truck. Tolbert told police he had a gun in his right pocket. Officers seized the weapon.
Officers then spoke to the woman who was emotionally upset at the neighbor’s house. She told police that morning, while they were still in bed, Tolbert got angry because she had gone to her mother’s house the night before. She told Tolbert she needed to get up and get things done around the house. This angered Tolbert because he wanted her to stay in bed. He then kicked her.
She got out of bed and began doing housework. She was gathering trash to take outside when Tolbert threw shoes at her and then a rubber shoe tray the shoes were sitting on. She then threw a Swiffer mop at her and jabbed her in the side with a comb. He then struck her several times in the head with a closed fist, leaving a bump on the back left side of her head. She said this was not the first time Tolbert had injured her. She had pistol-whipped her and had stabbed her in the leg.
She declined medical attention but did sign a battery affidavit. Tolbert was arrested on charges of domestic battery and strangulation.
Tolbert admitted the two had gotten into an argument and admitted to throwing shoes at her but wasn’t sure if any of the shoes had hit her. He said the woman had kicked him in the leg but police said there were no signs of an injury on Tolbert. He denied hitting the woman.
