Hartselle police: Husband beats wife after finding male contacts in her phone

Mar. 8—A Hartselle man was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly beat and strangled his wife for having male contacts in her phone's Snapchat app, according to an affidavit signed by a Hartselle police investigator.

Travis Jeremiah Hernandez, 28, was charged with domestic violence by strangulation or suffocation, a Class B felony, and remained in Morgan County Jail on Thursday in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

The owner of Minter's Garage in Hartselle, Larry Minter, on Thursday said his daughter is married to Hernandez. Minter noticed her injuries when she came to the garage on Tuesday, and they called the police.

"This ain't the first time," he said. "I don't know how many times he's been in jail, a couple for domestic violence — this is just the worst time. And I finally told her, she's going to have to do something about it. She was bruised from head to toe."

Court records show Hernandez was charged with third-degree domestic violence in September. The charge was dropped in January at the request of the victim.

Hartselle police responded to Minter's business at 301 Sparkman St. N.W., spoke with his daughter and called for paramedics.

The victim told investigators that on March 1, while in Hernandez's apartment at 508 E. Main St., he took her cellphone and looked through her Snapchat app.

"Hernandez located other male contacts in her phone and then started physically beating her," the affidavit reads. "Hernandez punched and stomped her in the face and head. Hernandez also grabbed her around the neck/throat, obstructing her from breathing."

Hernandez allegedly continued assaulting his wife and physically kept her from leaving the residence until the next day, according to the affidavit.

The victim told investigators that she thought Hernandez was going to kill her, according to the affidavit, and that when she tried to call for help, he broke her cellphone.

Investigators "noticed the significant bruising on (the victim's) face and neck area that was indicative of someone physically beating and strangling her ... and several other bruises on her arms and chest."

The victim was transported to Decatur Morgan Hospital where her injuries were assessed by a doctor and a sexual assault nurse examiner, according to the affidavit. She had suffered a broken nose, a ruptured eardrum and a hematoma on the rear of the head.

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Before marriage

On Sept. 6, Morgan County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to a domestic violence call in the 800 block of Bethel Church Road, according to an affidavit filed in Morgan County District Court. There, a female victim told deputies that she had just broken up with her boyfriend, Hernandez, who was not on scene at the time.

"She stated she was afraid to come home due to him making threats of breaking stuff in the house," the affidavit reads. "She stated he sent her a video on Snapchat of breaking dishes and told her to come home or he was going to damage more things. (The victim) stated that she feared for her life."

Later, dispatch received a call that Hernandez was at a residence in the 1600 block of Woodmont Street Southwest and fighting with his mother-in-law, according to the affidavit. By the time Hartselle police arrived, Hernandez had left.

"Hartselle PD stated that Hernandez told the mother-in-law if they called the police, he would shoot them or stab them with a knife," the affidavit reads.

Around an hour later, dispatch learned that Hernandez was back at Bethel Church Road, according to the affidavit.

When investigators arrived on scene, Hernandez opened the door wearing only a towel and kept his hands behind his back, according to the affidavit, and refused to show his hands when ordered. He then allegedly began walking out of the doorway, and investigators tried to detain him.

Investigators "then placed Hernandez on the ground to gain control," according to the affidavit. "Hernandez kept resisting and not placing his hands behind his back. (An investigator) then pulled out his Taser 7 and placed it on his (Hernandez's) lower butt and drive-stunned him to gain control of his arms."

In addition to being charged with third-degree domestic violence, Hernandez was also charged with resisting arrest. Court records show he pled guilty to resisting arrest on Jan. 3 and was given a 60-day suspended sentence with two years of unsupervised probation. The third-degree domestic violence charged was dismissed the same day.

— david.gambino@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438. @DD_DavidGambino