Hunter
12/21/20
An Iowa City man who allegedly assaulted his live-in girlfriend with a mallet had a handgun pointed at his head when police came to the door.
Arrest reports indicate that 29-year-old Damien Gilchrist of Dover Street shares the residence with the woman and her three children, aged 3, 6, and 11. He’s accused of breaking in the front door at 6:30am Sunday, and assaulting his girlfriend.
Police say Gilchrist hit her several times in the face with a steel head mallet, causing a large cut on the right side of her face, bruising and swelling. Officers noted the woman also had fresh blood on her shirt and hands, and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment.
When police made contact with Gilchrist, he reportedly had a handgun pointed at his head. He shut the door on officers and went back into the house. He eventually came out of the house without further incident. A digital scale with marijuana residue was allegedly found in a shoulder bag Gilchrist was wearing.
The gun, identified as a Glock, was found inside the home. Gilchrist has a felony conviction for 2nd degree burglary in 2013, and as such isn’t allowed to have a firearm.
Gilchrist was wanted by authorities for an alleged theft on November 20th. He’s accused of going to the Muscatine Avenue Kum & Go just after 2:30am with two passengers, Surveillance video shows the clerk counting money and about to do a safe drop. While one of the passengers distracted the employee, Gilchrist is seen grabbing $100 in twenties from the counter and quickly jamming them into his right pants pocket. He is charged with fifth degree theft, a simple misdemeanor.
He’s been charged for Sunday’s incident with 3rd or subsequent Domestic Assault, Dominion or Control of a Firearm as a felon, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and three counts of Child Endangerment. If convicted on all charges relating to the two incidents, Gilchrist could be sentenced to over 16 years in prison.