A man was hospitalized early Saturday after a woman he knew allegedly struck him with a hammer in the 1700 block of Butler Street, according to the Mobile Police Department.
Officers arrived at the scene around 1:34 p.m. — several hours after the encounter was first reported — and found a man with non-life-threatening injuries. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.
Investigators determined that a woman the man knew had struck him with the hammer. She was not identified by police but faces charges of second-degree domestic violence and second-degree assault. The case remains an active investigation, according to MPD.
The Beverly Motel assault
The hammer case was one of two assault arrests Mobile police reported from the weekend. In the other, a man was allegedly beaten with a flashlight and an unknown object during an argument at the Beverly Motel on Government Boulevard early Friday morning.
Officers were called to 4384 Government Boulevard around 5:35 a.m. and found a man with minor injuries, who was taken to a hospital for treatment. Thomas Cholar, 54, was arrested at the scene, charged with second-degree assault, and booked into the Mobile County Metro Jail.
What the charges carry
Second-degree domestic violence in Alabama is charged when a person commits second-degree assault — along with certain other offenses — against a spouse, former spouse, parent, child, household member, or someone with whom they have had a dating relationship. The charge is a Class B felony, punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $30,000, and repeat offenders face a mandatory minimum of six months in prison without probation, parole or good-time credit.
Second-degree assault, the underlying offense, applies when a person intentionally causes serious physical injury, or causes injury with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. A hammer or flashlight used as a weapon can support the deadly-weapon element, which is why both cases were charged as felonies rather than misdemeanor assaults.
Where the victim and the accused are in a domestic relationship, Alabama law also allows judges to issue emergency protection orders at the time of arrest, and prosecutors can seek enhanced penalties when an offense is committed in violation of an existing order or in the presence of a child.
Domestic violence response in Mobile
Mobile police handle thousands of domestic-related calls each year, and cases involving weapons or hospital treatment are typically referred to detectives for a full workup before charges are finalized. Victims are connected with protective order resources and advocacy services, and the department maintains a specialized unit for family violence investigations.
Both cases remain active investigations. Anyone with information about either incident is asked to call the Mobile Police Department at 251-208-7211, or to submit an anonymous tip through Mobile CrimeStoppers.