A Charleston man allegedly hit a woman with brass knuckles and held a gun to her head and her baby's head as he drove her and the child around overnight.
Joshua Paul Young, 34, is charged with domestic assault, domestic battery, child neglect creating risk of injury, prohibited possession of a firearm and wanton endangerment, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.
At about 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, Deputy Angelica Miller responded to a call about domestic violence at a home on Centennial Drive in Charleston. A woman told Miller that Young drove her and her baby around Monday night.
At one point, the woman said, Young stopped, jerked her out of the vehicle and struck her several times with brass knuckles. Miller saw swelling and bruising on the woman's face and a bruise on the woman's stomach.
The woman also told Miller that Young had held a small black pistol to her head and her baby's head, threatening to kill her and the child. The woman said they went to a friend's and she was able to sneak out after Young, with whom she had a previous relationship, fell asleep.
Miller went to 1476 Wolf Pen Drive, where she found Young and placed him under arrest. She found a small black .25 caliber Phoenix Raven pistol in his left front pants pocket, according to the complaint.
Sgt. Brian Humphreys, spokesman for the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office, said Young is a convicted sex offender and has been convicted of several other violent crimes.
A Raleigh County courts employee said Young was convicted of grand larceny and has a lengthy criminal history, but wouldn't provide any other charges by phone.
Kanawha Magistrate Brent Hall set bail for Young at $25,000 cash-only.
Before his arraignment Tuesday morning, Young denied abusing the woman and accused her of drugging him.
"I don't know what happened," he said. "All I know is I woke up this morning being arrested. I think - I'm quite positive I was drugged of some sort and now I'm being set up."
He did admit that he chose to take some sort of substance. "I was partying but I'd rather not say of what sort," he said.
Young told reporters if they took photos and video during the arraignment he would attempt to "get up out of here."
"I swear to God I'm going to go off," he said. "It's going to be a bad, bad situation. You better call for back-up."
Reporters did take photos and shoot video during the arraignment. Police stood close to Young, and he pulled his shirt up over his face.
Young then barked like a dog at reporters as he was escorted out of the courtroom.
Reach Erin Beck at erin.beck@wvgazettemail.com, Facebook.com/erinbeckwv, 304-348-5163 or follow @erinbeckwv on Twitter.