Man Strangles Woman In Front Of Her Kids In Stafford: Police

STAFFORD, VA—A man went bonkers during a domestic dispute Sunday in the area of Woodstream Boulevard, leaving a woman severely bruised and damaging her vehicle in front of her children, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. Devaughan Marquelle Elder, 18, of Stafford, was charged with assault and battery, strangulation, disorderly conduct and unlawfully keeping another from calling 911.

Around 9:30 p.m., deputy responded to an incident of possible domestic violence after a caller reported seeing a man and a woman fighting in the middle of the street. Several children were with them. Other deputies already were on hand setting up a perimeter to find the suspect, who had fled.

The officer found the woman with substantial bruising and visible fingerprint marks around her neck and forearms, and rescue personnel were called to examine her.

She said she and the man got into an argument inside a residence, and he asked her to leave. So she did, getting into a vehicle with her kids. But Elder had followed them outside, where he grabbed her rear view mirror and ripped it off the windshield.

She got out of the vehicle and tried to call 911, but he took her phone and threw it to the ground. That's when he began choking her. At one point, she couldn't breathe and thought she might pass out. He then left but soon was located and arrested by the police trying to find him.

While being taken to the police cruiser, Elder saw the victim and began to shout obscenities at her. While being booked, he admitted to everything.

Photo: Stafford County Sheriff's Office