A case that started out as a vehicle slamming into a light pole on Main Street turned into a situation where a Grafton man ended up having a hearing Wednesday in Harrison County on charges of felony malicious assault and misdemeanor battery.

 

According to Bridgeport Police Officer K.M “Kris” Burgess, the situation stemmed from a Dec. 23 incident that began around 11 p.m. Nearly two months later the suspect, David Alexander Gabbert, 22, made his initial appearance before Harrison County Magistrate Keith Marple.

 

Gabbert’s charges stem from allegedly throwing coffee in a woman’s face, grabbing her inappropriately and punching the man that was with her in the face. The malicious assault was the result of the coffee being thrown that led the woman to eventually go for medical treatment, Burgess said.

 

“The department had a call for a vehicle accident in front of the (Main Street) Dairy Queen where a vehicle had struck a light pole,” said Burgess. “The officers responding said there was no one around the vehicle. A separate call would came in later regarding the Circle K. Apparently, (Gabbert) had enough time to walk to Circle K.”

 

Burgess said he was flagged down by individuals at the Circle K shortly after the altercation took place. At that point, he was told the suspect had entered into a vehicle with others. Gabbert, said Burgess, was not driving.

 

“I pulled the car over and what took place began to take shape,” said Burgess, who said the other occupants in the vehicle were not charged as they did not appear to have violated the law.

 

According to Burgess, it was determined the suspect had made comments to the woman inside the store that led to the altercation. The Exponent Telegram reported that Gabbert grabbed the woman inappropriately inside the store and the comments in question were “lewd” in nature. The media outlet also reported that during the incident Gabbert ripped the female victim’s shirt around the collar once outside the store where the situation escalated and the punch was allegedly thrown at the man with her inside the vehicle the victims were in.

 

“We had multiple witnesses stating they saw what had taken place,” said Burgess. “Based on what we found in the vehicle that hit the light pole we were able to determine it was the same individual.”

 

Burgess said Gabbert was not combative when taken into custody. Burgess said he believes Gabbert has changed his residency to Bridgeport since the incident.