MITCHEL – A Mitchell man was arrested Saturday night following a domestic dispute where he allegedly strangled a female during an argument. Darcey R. Cox, 47, is facing charges of strangulation and domestic battery.
According to an affidavit for probable cause filed by Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Whitney Daugherty-Anderson, the dispatcher, received a 911 call at approximately 9:21 p.m. on Sunday, July 13, reporting a physical domestic altercation in the 1000 block of Art Gallery Road. The caller indicated that a friend’s boyfriend had hit her friend. The individuals involved included a female and Darcey Cox, with Cox reportedly driving a Dodge pickup truck.
Sgt. Daugherty-Anderson, accompanied by Officers Davis Miller, Robin Compton, and Kyle Long, responded to the scene. Upon arrival, Sgt. Daugherty-Anderson observed a female, later identified, on a porch and a Dodge pickup in the driveway. Officers pulled in, and Cox was seen near the passenger side of the truck. Officers immediately detained Cox to ensure no weapons were present and to prevent him from entering the residence.
Speaking with the injured female inside the home, she explained that she and Cox had returned from an outing around 4:30 p.m. and began arguing about her suspicions of him cheating and having another female over. The female stated she was sitting on one end of the couch, and Cox was on the other. She poked him to get his attention when he ignored her questions. She alleged that Cox then stood in front of her, leaned over, and placed his hands around her neck.
Sgt. Daugherty-Anderson observed red/purple marks on both sides of the woman’s neck. The woman told police she had struggled to breathe for a second and was feeling dizzy during the alleged strangulation.
The woman told police she pushed Cox away, went to the bedroom, and locked the door. She then called and Facetimed a friend to show her the marks, which prompted the 911 call to dispatch. The woman further claimed that Cox kicked in the bedroom door and took camera equipment from the room, where a camera is usually present. She stated he did not touch her again after that.
When questioned by Sgt. Daugherty-Anderson, after being read his Miranda Warning, Darcey Cox stated that he and the woman were arguing about accusations of him cheating. He claimed the woman got up from the living room couch and went to the bedroom. When asked about the marks on the woman’s neck, Cox asserted they were not present before she left the living room but appeared when he entered the bedroom, suggesting she inflicted them upon herself.
The woman, whom EMS was attending to at the time, reiterated that Cox was lying and had “definitely put his hands around her neck.” While taking photos, Sgt. Daugherty-Anderson noted that the initial red marks on the woman’s neck had developed into a rash, obscuring the original marks, but confirmed her injuries were captured on body camera footage. The woman expressed her desire to press charges and completed a battery affidavit and domestic violence screening.
Cox was informed he would be arrested for strangulation and domestic battery. He denied having any video or audio footage to show officers. During a search of his belongings, a torn-apart camera was found in his pocket. Cox was transported to the Lawrence County Jail without further incident.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
