St. Croix Woman Eye Damaged After Being Choked By Boyfriend

A St. Croix man was arrested around 2:45 p.m. on Monday after a woman sought medical attention at the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center, and revealed that she was allegedly choked.

Richard Durham, 52, was arrested on second-degree-assault charges and is being held without bail in line with domestic violence laws, which blocks the option of bail for the perpetrator.

According to the preliminary report, during the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 5th, the two individuals were involved in an argument when Durham allegedly placed his hands around the victim’s neck, whose name is barred from being mentioned because of Domestic Violence laws, and squeezed fiercely.

Said Police spokesperson Melody Rames: “The Victim went to the Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center at about 11 a.m. where she was interviewed by police. Hospital officials said the vessels in the victim’s eyes were damaged to her trachea.”

Durham is the fifth person to be charged in the last few with domestic violence crimes, according to the VIPD.

Ernice Gilbert
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