ST PAUL, Minn. — An Anoka man faces charges of felony domestic assault after prosecutors say he pushed his 9 months pregnant girlfriend from a moving vehicle after an argument.
A criminal complaint filed in Ramsey County Court also charges 24-year-old Lance Lamar Booth with criminal vehicular operation in the incident, which took place on October 13 following a family baby shower.
Witnesses tell investigators that Booth and his girlfriend were driving through St. Paul following the baby shower when they began arguing. The couple's 10-month-old child was also in the car. A friend who was driving in front of their vehicle says she was watching in her rear view mirror and saw Booth, who was in the passenger seat, grab the victim's hair and punch her in the face as she tried to drive. The friend stopped her vehicle, causing the victim to stop hers.
At that point, the witness tells police that she opened the passenger door of the victim's vehicle and tried to pull Booth off of the victim. Booth reportedly climbed over the center console, shoved the pregnant victim into the door, grabbed the steering wheel and accelerated. As the car was moving down the street witnesses say he pushed the pregnant women out of the car.
Two police officers were on scene by then, and followed the car carrying Booth and the 10-month-old child down the street. Eventually the defendant was pulled over and taken into custody, despite being uncooperative. The officers say he took off his jacket as if preparing to fight them, and told them to "shoot" him. They say Booth appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The victim suffered an arm injury during the incident, and was taken to the hospital to check on the status of her baby.
Squads transported Booth to the hospital for a blood draw, which he steadily fought. Security officers had to restrain him so a nurse could draw a sample.
The domestic violence charge Booth faces is felony level, as he has two prior convictions involving domestic violence.
