Decatur man accused of damaging ex-girlfriend's car, physically attacking her
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DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A Decatur man is facing charges of criminal damage and domestic battery after police said he damaged his ex-girlfriend’s car and then attacked her when she confronted him.

In a sworn statement obtained by WCIA, a Decatur Police officer said that Deontae Ward-Hodges, 30, was arrested Tuesday afternoon in downtown Decatur in connection to that incident. Two days earlier, his ex-girlfriend met with officers to report he had attacked her. The officer said Ward-Hodges is the father of the victim’s two-year-old son and, according to her, he is mad because she won’t be with him.

Around 2 a.m. on Tuesday, she observed him damaging her car, which included trying to rip a license plate off, breaking off the door to the gas tank, putting a dent into the car and breaking the rear windshield wiper.

“(She) advised that she told Deontae to stop,” the officer said. “(She) stated Deontae punched her on the right side of her head and she fell to the ground… Deontae got on top of her and was dragging her around by her hair… pulled her up by her hair and she fell against his car.”

Ward-Hodges allegedly hit his ex-girlfriend a few more times before leaving. Officers observed that she had an abrasion on her arm and a possible laceration on her head. The victim said Ward-Hodges was holding a screwdriver as he hit her; while she wasn’t stabbed with it, the victim believed her injuries were caused by him holding the screwdriver as he hit her.

The officer said records from the Macon County Circuit Clerk’s website indicate that Ward-Hodges has no prior convictions for offenses related to domestic battery.

He made his first appearance in court the day after his arrest. Ward-Hodges was released from custody with conditions that included having no contact with is ex-girlfriend directly or indirectly.

He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on March 19.

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