Farmington man charged with domestic assault

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A Farmington man faces felony domestic assault charges after an incident in which he allegedly hit and threatened a woman, refused to let her leave her home and broke her phone when she tried to call for help.

The incident happened around 11:30 p.m. July 26 at the couple’s home. According to a complaint filed in the Dakota County Attorney’s office, Dennis Craig Clough, 52, got in a fight with the woman that morning and was upset when he came home. He started yelling and screaming and stopped her from leaving. When she put her key in her car door he pushed her hard enough her key bent in the lock. He then reportedly pushed her back toward the garage and closed the door.

According to the complaint, Clough hit the woman in the face when she tried to light a cigarette, then started “dancing around like a boxer,” throwing punches on either side of her head and threatening her.

When the woman tried to call police Clough reportedly grabbed the phone and threw it against the wall. The woman was eventually able to speed dial her daughter, who heard the noise and called police.

The woman initially denied anything had happened and went to stay with a family member. Police returned to the home two more times that night because of Clough’s behavior and eventually took him to the hospital on a 72-hour hold.

The woman came to the police station the next day and told police she had not told the truth the previous night because she did not want Clough, who has two previous domestic abuse convictions, to go back to prison. If convicted on a felony charge of domestic assault, Clough could face up to five years in jail and fines of up to $10,000. A gross misdemeanor charge of interfering with a 911 call has a maximum sentence of one year and a maximum fine of $3,000.

Tags: crime and courts, news, farmington