On a morning in August 2025, officers from an Ohio police department responded to a domestic disturbance call involving property damage, claims of assault from both parties, and visible injuries. This analysis examines Ohio's domestic violence laws, the primary aggressor determination process, and the legal consequences when relationships turn violent. >> This young lady that's up in my house, >> is that you got a pimp on you? >> Yes, sir. >> You got a permit? >> Sorry. CCW. >> All right. Go ahead. Let's not touch it. >> I won't, sir. >> Cool. >> Do you want me to put it in the car? >> If you don't mind, >> I don't, sir. Uh, this young lady, my baby mother, um, this morning she got frustrated that I was leaving to go to work. >> Okay. >> Um, she, uh, threw the grill at my window. I just wanted to leave. >> Okay. >> You live here with her? This is my house. >> Yeah, but you live here with her. No, >> she stays here with you. >> She stays sometimes. >> You got children with her? >> One child. >> So, there's not going to be really any way for us to determine if she lives here or not. You guys have a domestic relationship. So, it would be assumed that she does here live here with you. >> Okay. >> Um, so inside of these four wall, what is it? An It's apartments. >> Yes. >> Inside of the four walls of the apartment, she has legal right to be. You got children in there with her now? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, I am not going to be able to tell her to leave. >> Okay. Um because of the laws about domestic relationships, living in a home. Where else does she live? >> With her mother. >> Okay. And where's that at? >> On Henry Street. >> Okay. >> I can ask her if she would not if she would mind going over there. Um >> Oh, no. If y'all can't if you can't make her >> But I can't I can't force her to. >> She's not going to she's not going to voluntarily. That's that's the only that's the only way that we can that we can get her to leave is if she voluntarily leaves. >> Okay. >> Because of the domestic relationship. >> Okay. Because of the kids involved. >> You got kids involved. And it would be assumed under any type of circumstance that if you two have kids involved and she's here now and you were here and then this happened, >> you guys are living together. >> Okay. >> Um, what else happened today? >> Nothing. >> That's it. That's all you want to report on? >> Yeah. >> Nothing else. >> I don't >> cuz there would be another route that we could go to get her removed from the home. >> Yeah. But I have a child and and that you know that's going to create >> Mhm. >> I think you understand what I'm trying to say. >> I do cuz I can see it. So what happened? >> She's crazy, sir. She's 21 years old, y'all. >> I tried to go to work this morning. M. She grabbed me by my hair. >> Mhm. >> Snatch me up. >> Um, I tried to keep going down the stairs. She came out the stairs, snatched me up again. >> I released myself from her. I came outside, tried to get in my vehicle. That's when she threw the grill at my window. >> So, she followed you out here. Yeah. >> Picked up the grill that was somewhere over here. >> Yeah. That was sitting right here. >> And then threw it at the car. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Now, I'm going be honest with y'all, sir. I It's my baby mother. I I really don't want her to have >> I I understand that, but you've got visible injury. You've got scratches on your nose. You got scratches on your lip. Your arm is all bruised. You've got red marks on your arm. >> Um that that's from >> There are things there are things that happened this morning that took place. You know what I'm saying? What's her name? >> Autumn. >> See, like that's the thing. I don't want her to go to jail, man. I just want her to leave. I just don't want her to be here. But that that's the that's the the other side of this though is that when you two are in a domestic relationship and there is that scuffle that happens and there is a physical altercation that happens and the police are called then there are things that cannot be undone. Okay? And it's not you saying that you want her to leave and you don't want to do anything. It's the police that are involved now. Okay? So there's certain circumstances that we cannot just be like, "All right, well, if you're going to leave and go to work and she's going to stay here and have a day, are you going to work?" >> I was trying. She She has to go in the door and up the stairs. >> In the He said in the door and up the stairs. >> He's cool. He's going to go talk to her real quick. >> You mind if I step in? >> Yeah, you're fine. >> What's going on today? >> Um, nothing really. It didn't start yesterday. Um, >> what I work I'm a hair stylist here. >> Okay. >> Um, I end up getting off a little I think an hour later. I told him I was going to be off and um he had my son. So, I had to take my little my my client home in order to get a little extra and I didn't tell him that until I got here and talked to him. So, he was just I guess he was mad I didn't tell him what was going on. He um sat here all night and I'm going to bed. I put my son to sleep. >> Whose house is this? >> Piss. >> Okay. >> We talked about it yesterday and I wasn't understanding why he was mad that I got off late and you have my son or I didn't understand what the problem was all together. So we got into an argument. I um so he got his blood in his mouth. So I snatched it out of his mouth. He got mad. >> He got what? >> A blunt. He had it in his mouth. He was trying to talk. So I snatched it out of his mouth. I'm like, "You stop doing this to me. I don't understand like I'm trying to do my work. It's hard to work with this baby. Like I will do it but it's hard. So that happens. I snatch out his mouth. He push. So I'm like I grab his hair. I'm like why do you keep putting your hands on you? I didn't put my hands on you. Like I'm just trying We need to find a babysitter. So when that happened, he choked me out in the hallway. >> Why would you smash the blood out of his mouth? >> Cuz he's we're talking and you're trying to walk away. He trying to light this book in front of my face like we're not trying to find a babysitter. So that's why I snatched out. we need to figure this out. You're not going to keep walking away from me and my son. You're not. So, and that's how he pushed me. So, I grabbed him like why did you why do you keep putting your hand on me and think you about to walk away? When I got this hair, he choked me out. Um I went unconscious. I got back up and he was still standing there. So, I grabbed nobody's hair again. Like, stop putting your hands on me. I didn't even swing on you or nothing. Why Why do you feel the need to choke me out? I got He choked me out. I I went unconscious and I don't know how long I was when I swear I didn't have no nothing on though. I was naked in that hallway. >> So >> this child with him? >> This is my child. He's trying to take it. >> Is it your child? >> Yes. That's why you probably so you can take the baby. >> Um this might be from my haircut. >> It's not. >> It's not okay. >> I got haircuts, too. Okay. >> They don't They don't do it like that. You got one where your glasses hit down on you. You got a scrape right here. She hit you with her nails, man. They're nail marks. I can see it. I'm not. Look, man, this ain't my first day at this at this job. I know I know what to look for and I know the signs of any type of domestic violence. This is this is a I know you don't want to, but this is something that if she set this in motion, she set this in motion. You know what I'm saying? >> Definitely did. >> I'm and I'm not here to judge you. I'm not here to to to, you know, be the the person that's going to come here and say, "Look, do you want to live in a volatile situation where a woman is putting her hands on you for what?" Um, and it would be the exact same opposite if we were talking to her and the the roles were reversed. Do you want to live in a volatile situation for a man to put your hand his hands on you for what? >> How old are you? >> I am 44. >> 44. And you said she's 21. There's a considerable age gap there. There there are things that us as older people and younger people do not see eye to eye with for a lot of things and sometimes that happens in relationships and things happen in those relationships and I get that you're trying to protect her but for what and I'm not a marriage counselor. I'm not, you know, a boyfriend, girlfriend counselor, kids counselor, but I have gone through this enough where these types of situations lead to children who grow up to be young adults and then adults getting into that same type of business. And we don't want that. You know, be the example for your children. I hope that you are. Um, these actions from her, that's that's not what we need. You know, >> I need a baby. THAT'S ALL I'M TRYING TO GET get under control. And now he's talking about he still his wife and none of his kids like me. He called out the city council and told the city council that he choked me out. Like I I don't So at this point I don't care if y'all telling me to get out. I will get out. But I'm not packing this by myself. He's going to stay here. Don't keep moving me and my son in here. And last time y'all was here. You let us stay. >> And since he pushed me into the grill and I threw the grill and he hit his car, he told me that he will never he don't care about my son. My son me and I have to get out. But I told him when I got up that you're going to stop choking me out. So I'm calling the police on the last he called the police himself and was going to try and flip me. >> All right. Um I got to go upstairs. >> Um what I'm going to do is I'm going to have you sit in the back of my car. Uh you you are being she is being detained and you are being detained for a domestic violence investigation. Okay? Not putting you in handcuffs or anything like that. You've been real chill with me. Um but I have to go in there and there's not anybody else that's coming here. So I'm going to put you in the back of the car real quick. I'll put the window down so you can >> cool. Um, and then I'm gonna run up there for five minutes and then be back down with you and get you out. Okay. >> We'll walk over on the driver's side. >> All right. Have a seat. >> Under Ohio Revised Code Section 2919.25, domestic violence is defined as knowingly causing or attempting to cause physical harm to a family or household member. When officers respond to domestic situations where both parties claim assault, Ohio law requires determining the primary physical aggressor based on who initiated contact, severity of injuries, and whether force was defensive or offensive. Physical evidence is critical in dual claim situations. Visible fresh injuries provide objective evidence when competing narratives exist. Claims of serious violence like strangulation require visible medical evidence to be credible. Under Ohio Revised Code section 2935.03, officers must make arrests in domestic violence situations when probable cause exists. Ohio follows a preferred arrest policy regardless of victim preference. Once police are involved in probable cause exists, the decision to arrest is no longer solely the victims to make. This mandatory approach aims to interrupt cycles of violence before they escalate. When a parent is arrested for domestic violence, Ohio law provides no mechanism for officers to remove a child from the other parent who has not committed a crime. The non-arrested parent retains custody regardless of the arrested party's preferences. Upon release from custody, Ohio law mandates issuance of a protection order prohibiting contact with the victim and potentially limiting access to children. A domestic violence conviction carries serious consequences, including loss of firearm rights and impact on custody determinations. >> Have you ever been arrested before? >> No. >> Petty stuff. Long time ago. >> Uh very very long, long time ago. >> What was it for? >> Uh uh traffic and drugs. >> Oh, for real? >> Yeah. >> Okay. But I got all that expuned. >> That was all that was all handled. >> Yeah, I got all that expuned. >> I got you. All right. Give me a second. How we looking? >> How are you? >> Say you choked her unconscious. >> Okay. >> Can I take a look at your neck? >> It really sting in the back. I don't know what happened. >> Where did this happen? Hi. The um I put my son to sleep. He's been he's been not talking to me till my son goes to sleep. My son went to sleep at like 11:40 and I come out here to try and get him to go to bed. We just bought that bed together. Why are you trying to sleep on the couch? Um and he's sitting here like sleep. I'm like, "What's wrong? Like come to bed." And he tells me to sit down and he he complains about me not telling him about taking the little girls home. But we just talked. I just told you that their mom wasn't home. So I have to wait till she got home to drive him. I don't understand. I'm not understanding. What What are you mad about? Like what's your frustration? And it's cuz he didn't know when I when I had to do it. So we get to it. I tell him like, I don't want to keep arguing with you about stupid stuff like this. Who argues about something like this? If I got home safely, that's all that matter. You have my location. I'm here. I'm I made dinner. I still made dinner. So like, what's going on? Okay, let them let them wrap this up here real quick. And >> Chris, did you put your hands on her at all? >> I'm not not saying that you punched her or anything. I just I want to know the the the the most amount of detail that you can tell me about when you touched her. >> All I do. >> All right. >> That happened all in the stairwell, right? Yeah. You came out then, got into your car, and then she came out and threw the threw the grill onto the car. >> Yeah. Well, she's claiming that you strangled her. >> Hear me out. I don't see any physical injuries on her, right? I I don't. And she admits to us that she's she snatched a blunt out of your mouth, right? >> Here, listen. You hear what I'm saying? But we have to take all of these things into consideration when we're talking about this. >> She She snatched that blunt out of your hand first and that sparked it off, right? >> No, she grabbed my hair first. >> She grabbed your hair first? >> That's what sparked it off. >> Okay. And then >> And then you pushed her off. >> No, I walked out the door. walked out the >> door and then I came from going down the steps. That's when she grabbed me by my hair. So, >> okay. When did she snatch that blunt out of your When did she When did she snatch that blunt out of your mouth? >> Upstairs in the house. So, that didn't that I I was okay with that, sir. I promise to die. >> Is that where you got your Is that where you got the scrapes at? >> No, the scrapes came from when she smashed me by my hair and I was trying to push her off and she got you. >> Yeah, I promise. >> Okay. My partner's going to go in there. Uh, she's going to be under arrest for domestic violence. Okay. um she is going to be sent to jail and you are going to have to take your son um for the time being. Okay. Um when we do the proceedings for this, it's misdemeanor level domestic violence. Um she's going to get booked into the county. She's going to be arraigned on the charges. We are going to do some other thing. Do you want to sign a charge on her? Do you want to go down and sign this charge? Okay. We are going to take her to the county. She's going to go in there. When she comes out, there is going to be a protection order issued barring her from being around you or your son. >> Hey, you got any clothes to put on? >> You understand what's going on today, right? No. So because you initiated physical contact by snatching the blood out of his mouth, >> you initiated physical contact which is myth because it's domestic violence because you should have child. Okay. So by your own admission of starting by snatching the blood out of his mouth, you are the primary physical aggressor in this and per state of Ohio. We don't have a choice but to make an arrest. It's a preferred arrest. Domestic violence is preferred to rest in the state of Ohio. We get we got to go. Grab your shoes and grab your baby. Let's go downstairs. >> I don't know where to take my baby. >> Listen, I got paperwork to do. So, we're going to go downstairs to the cruiser. So, grab your baby. Grab some shoes. >> I don't want to have my son. >> Okay. >> TELL CHRIS IS NOT GOING TO WANT TO DO NOTHING. >> I'm talking to you, sir. >> Autumn, listen. Listen to me before you go in before you go in handcuff. Listen. Listen. We're we're going to figure that out in a little bit. >> I said I said put some shoes on. Grab your son and let's go downstairs. >> We're going to get We're going to get to that right now. Put some shoes on. Grab your No. No. What are you doing though? >> Shoes on. Pick your son up. Let's go downstairs so I can start my paper. >> He doesn't have nothing. He doesn't even have clothes on. >> Excuse me. >> Oh, this way. Where's your shoes at? Get put your slides on. Let's go. This is getting I'm trying to be cool with you. This is >> No, now you are. >> That will move the other one up front. >> Hey, come over here. >> Put the bags down. upstairs. >> I'm cool. I'ming cool. And I can't even talk to him and tell him to drop him off at mommy's house. I just lost 350 today cuz this mother want to get to about nothing. I don't understand how taking a bone out somebody's mouth and they're trying to light it in your face while you trying to talk to them is aggressive. I don't understand that. >> Right. You went to go get your haircut and all this. You're about to go to Florida, bro. I'm not stupid. You about to go to your wife and you trying to get in with me and get me put in jail so you don't have to hear from me. Like he does this all the time. Like, leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me my son alone. That's not physically touching him, taking the bun out of him. >> That's what they're saying. I'm going to jail because I took the bun out of his mouth. Wait, is this even allowed to have a we is the question. >> Autumn, you do understand that you're under arrest. >> For what? For taking a blunt out his mouth. >> Domestic violence. >> For taking a blunt out his mouth. >> Do you understand that? >> He's trying to be petty. >> You got to hang the phone up. You are under arrest. I don't want Listen, I don't I don't want to sit here and have to put you in handcuffs with your son sitting next to you. Okay? I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt here. So is Officer Cox. Officer Cox is giving you the benefit of doubt and is allowing you to sit in the back of this cruiser without any handcuffs on and not being treated like a prisoner. But you are okay, buddy. >> What the come out? >> What? >> Hands in your >> I don't want you to have my foot in your >> No. >> I can't. I already can't. As a mom, I can't. No. No, no, >> no. Listen, I'm I'm going to talk to you. I I understand. I understand. >> No, >> listen. >> No. >> By you not follow Listen, this this is the This is the overarching thing here. By you not following us, telling you to do something. >> I'm sitting in the car. I came downstairs. Y'ALL TOLD ME TO GET DRESSED. WHAT AM I NOT FOLLOWING? You're not taking my baby. You're not. There are other you could be filed. >> You're not. Can you ask him to where he going to go with my son? >> NO, HE'S NOT. I trust me. He's about TO GO TO HE ABOUT TO GO SEE HIS WIFE. He get his haircut and start with me every time. No. Ask him to drop my son off at my mom's house. Please. Can you physically ask him to go? Go. That's the only way I'm going to feel. You're going to hand for what? For domestic violence. We're not doing anything. I get that. I get that. I get that. That's where we're about to go. >> Are you going to hurt my baby? >> He is not going to hurt your baby. >> Can you drop him off? >> Don't take him to Florida. Don't take my baby nowhere. Please. >> Stay right here. Please just say okay. >> You're going to come get my son. I'm going to be in jail for two days. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE him for two days. >> I will stay >> RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY BABY. >> Put your other hand behind your back >> because you wanted to be petty. All I wanted was a babysitter. All I wanted was a babysitter. You tried to walk away and leave me with my son once again. >> She She said she said something about one of her family members calling you or something like that. Uh >> if they do, they do. All right. >> The responding officers receive a grade of B+ for correctly applying Ohio's domestic violence statutes and primary aggressor doctrine. The determination was legally sound and officers demonstrated appropriate patience during an emotional situation. Chris receives a grade of B minus for attempting to deescalate and responding with defensive force only. However, his misunderstanding of mandatory arrest policies and the concerning age gap in the relationship warrant note. Autumn receives a grade of D for initiating physical contact that constitutes assault under Ohio law. Her claim of being choked was not supported by physical evidence. Viewing actions through relationship grievance rather than legal standards led to serious consequences. This case illustrates how domestic violence law operates. Minor physical contact in a domestic relationship when it results in injury can lead to arrest and serious consequences regardless of underlying relationship conflicts. Let us know if there is an interaction or legal topic you would like us to discuss in the comments below. 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