A Waukee man was arrested early Saturday after allegedly assaulting a Waukee woman in an effort to destroy video evidence of his prior assaults.
Ryan Alan Smith, 44, of 3336 Ashworth Road, Waukee, was charged with first-offense domestic abuse assault-bodily injury or mental illness and obstruction of emergency communications.
The incident began about 11:30 p.m. Friday at a residence in the 3300 block of Ashworth Road, where officers of the Waukee Police Department responded to a report of a domestic disturbance.
The officers made contact with the victim, who told the officers that Smith allegedly “tackled her to the ground as they fought over” her cellular telephone, from which Smith was attempting to delete video evidence of “previous domestic incidents she had recorded,” according to court records.
The officers observed on the victim “scratch marks and new red marks” on her back, according to court records.
Smith allegedly took the victim’s phone, ID and cards and left the residence prior to the arrival of police officers. He was later taken into custody and “refused to speak with officers,” according to court records.
Smith was held in the Dallas County Jail on a $1,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing March 18 in Dallas County District Court.
Smith was convicted of assault in 2000 in Polk County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
