Casper Man Arrested for Pushing Pregnant Woman in Domestic Assault
A man was arrested late Wednesday after allegedly shoving his pregnant step-daughter during an argument over changing the television channel.
Leonard Lawrence Wegner III, 47, was booked into the Natrona County Detention Center on a charge of domestic assault as a third offense.
According to a police affidavit, officers went to a home on Shattuck shortly before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday for a report of a family fight. Dispatch explained Wegner was accused of pushing a pregnant woman.
Officers arrived and spoke to Wegner, who allegedly was obviously intoxicated, with slurred speech and red, watery eyes.
Wegner said he was on disability, and was the only one in the house who paid rent. He said he and his ex-wife were watching a DVD of "Deadliest Catch" in their bedroom, and his ex-wife was playing on her phone.
"The fact that [his ex-wife] was using the television while not giving the show her undivided attention angered Wegner," the affidavit reads. Wegner got up to change the channel, but his ex-wife "took exception."
A verbal argument ensued, and after a moment, Wegner's pregnant step-daughter came into the bedroom. She got in between Wegner and his ex-wife, and Wegner allegedly shoved her backward.
He allegedly told officers there would be "no physical evidence."
The alleged victim told police she was in her bedroom when she heard her mother scream, "Go ahead, hit me!" She then went into her mother's room and saw Wegner and her mother arguing.
Wegner pushed her, the alleged victim told police, but her mother caught her and kept her from falling. She told police she was 27 weeks pregnant, and Wegner had been her father-figure since she was roughly two years old.
The alleged victim also said Wegner had an alcoholic, abusive history.
Wegner's ex-wife reportedly told police that he had a long history of domestic violence dating back decades, having even served prison time for it.
A criminal history report on Wegner revealed several domestic violence charges and convictions. Most recently, he was convicted of domestic assault in Idaho in 2009 and 2010.
Wegner was arrested. He told police he had about seven beers and took some of his medication.
It turned out that the alleged victim had a warrant out for her arrest in an unrelated matter. Police arrested her and asked victim witness workers to contact her at the jail.