By Roger Lanse
On Sunday, Mar. 17, 2019, at about 5:30 p.m., a domestic disturbance call came into the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority stating a male was outside of a car on Ridge Road looking like he had a lot of anger. Caller advised she saw him throw a rock at the dog and was yelling at the female. Caller called back advising the male and female were walking around the Tres Casitas.
At about 6 p.m., a caller from the ER at Gila Regional Medical Center stated a named female was involved in a domestic on the Ridges and her nose was ‘busted’ and her legs hurt.
Approximately an hour and 45 minutes later, GCRDA received a breaking and entering call from Ridge Road, which a Grant County deputy said was related to the domestic call from GRMC.
According to an offense report from the GCSD, which assumed responsibility for the case as the domestic and break-in occurred just over the town line on Ridge Road in the county, the 38-year-old female with a Tucson address in the ER was interviewed by a deputy. She stated she and her boyfriend, Jessie Westmoreland, 38, also with a Tucson address, had gotten into a ‘physical confrontation’ after they came back from the Little Toad Creek Bar downtown. As they approached their disabled car on Ridge Road near Lance Drive, which had been reported several times as ‘suspicious,’ the female said she was upset because her dog, Sahara, was not getting any food or water. Westmoreland became enraged, the report stated, and started to throw things at and kick the dog. When the dog ran off, she said, a passing motorist stopped and took the dog.
Westmoreland then grabbed the female, according to the offense report, and dragged her from Fairway Drive along Ridge Road to a shed behind a triplex on the south side of Ridge Road. Leaving her there for an undetermined length of time, the victim told the deputy that Westmoreland came back and led her into one of the triplex apartments.
The victim, according to the report, after being forced to drink alcohol, passed out and when she came to she was slumped on the bathroom floor covered in blood. Westmoreland then discovered the victim attempting to leave the residence, the victim said, and punched and kicked her for about 30 seconds. The victim stated she was then able to escape the house and a male who refused to identify himself pulled over and took her to GRMC.
The offense report stated that at the ER the victim’s face was swollen and bruised and dried blood were on her face and clothing.
About this time, the breaking and entering call came into GCRDA when the homeowner of the triplex apartment came home to find his residence broken into and blood in every room except two bedrooms and the garage, including the bathroom sink, counters, and bathtub; furniture; and the outside patio, the report said.
Deputies were able to find the dog at the home of the person who had picked it up, according to the report, and this individual confirmed that the male was hitting the dog, but wasn’t able to state the direction in which the male and female left. Deputies transported the dog to the Humane Society on Cougar Road.
The GCSD expects a warrant to be issued for Jessie Westmoreland on Tuesday, Mar. 19. He has been charged with one count each of aggravated burglary -- 2nd degree felony, aggravated battery against a household member -- 3rd degree felony, false imprisonment -- 4th degree felony, and multiple convictions of battery or aggravated battery -- 4th degree felony.