Newport Man Charged for Allegedly Punching Pregnant Woman in Stomach

A 26-year-old Newport man has been charged with domestic simple assault and domestic disorderly conduct after he allegedly punched a pregnant woman in the stomach early Thursday morning.

Police said Dustin Jay Hymer, 26, of 143 Third St., Newport, assaulted the woman and threw items around her apartment after she tried to get him to leave and go back to his nearby apartment.

According to a police report, the victim asked a landlord to draft her a fake eviction notice to pressure Hymer to move out. When he saw the notice, he got angry.

Police said he apparently left, but came back under the guise of retrieving his possessions. But he started throwing things around, flipped over a bed and tried to forcefully take a cat out of her hands.

“During this time she was pushed up against the wall and he also punched her directly in the stomach,” the police report stated.

Police said the victim had marks on her arm from wrestling over the cat and it looked like furniture had been disturbed in the apartment.

The victim declined medical treatment and did not wish to go to the hospital for an ultrasound as recommended by members of the Newport Fire Department who responded to the scene at around 1 a.m.

Police sent Hymer a text message at around 7:15 a.m. telling him to meet with an officer to talk with the situation.

He reportedly texted back asking if he was in trouble and then met with police about 20 minutes later.

He reportedly told police that “I [expletive] messed up last night, I know I did wrong, I will come with you without problems.”

Hymer was held for arraignment in Second Division District Court on Thursday.