A West Des Moines man was arrested Friday after allegedly brandishing a loaded handgun during a dispute with his girlfriend.
Phillip Richard Dustin, 52, of 1260 S. Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines, was charged with domestic abuse assault-display or use of a weapon.
The incident occurred about 5 p.m. Friday in the 1200 block of S. Jordan Creek Parkway, where Dustin “was in an argument with his girlfriend,” according to court records.
In the course of the dispute, Dustin allegedly “told her he would kill her and then walked to another room,” where he “grabbed a 9 millimeter handgun, racked a live cartridge in the chamber and then walked back out to the living room,” according to court records.
Dustin told the officers that “he did this to ’cause alarm’ and stop the argument with the victim,” according to court records.
Dustin “denied threatening to kill the victim and denied loading the firearm,” which “was found with a live cartridge in the chamber,” according to court records.
The victim told the officers that “this was not the first time that he had threatened her with a handgun,” according to court records.
Dustin is held in the Dallas County Jail on a $2,000 cash or surety bond. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Jan. 10 in Dallas County District Court.
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
