Police detective is accused of assaulting his brother-in-law - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
A detective at the Fairbanks Police Department is on administrative leave and faces two felony assault charges after getting in a physical altercation with his drunken brother-in-law at Harding Lake during the early morning hours of July 5.
The incident resulted in charges for both Detective Gerrit Butler, 36, of Fairbanks, and Aaron Vogel, 30, of Palmer, who is married to Butler’s sister, according to charging documents and Teal Soden, communications director for the City of Fairbanks.
It happened when Butler and his two sisters were visiting a family cabin at Harding Lake with their romantic partners. They were sitting around a fire and some of them were drinking. Witnesses told Alaska State Troopers that Vogel was being loud, arguing with his wife, challenging the other men to a fight and posturing in a way as to cause a physical confrontation.
Vogel told authorities that he had consumed 10-12 shots and 4-5 beers, according to charging documents. He was asked to leave or to go to sleep multiple times but he did not want to, he told authorities.
Butler is accused of attacking Vogel after Vogel pushed Butler’s sister — not the one who Vogel is married to — after she asked Vogel to leave. Vogel denies pushing the woman.
Butler tackled Vogel and punched him multiple times, fracturing his orbital bone and breaking teeth, according to charging documents for both men in connection with the incident.
“The forensics nurse reported Aaron’s injuries, especially to his neck, could have been caused by a strangulation event,” reads a line in Butler’s charging documents.
Vogel told troopers that Butler put him in a full nelson and told him to go to sleep. He thought he would lose consciousness. Vogel also told troopers that when it was over, Butler apologized for “going too far and made statements about losing his job,” charging documents state.
Butler denies choking or strangling his brother-in-law.
Authorities were contacted at about 2:30 a.m., and Vogel was taken by ambulance to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital where he was treated for bruises and abrasions throughout his head and neck. Vogel went to the trooper post the next day and spoke with a lieutenant about his injuries. That’s when troopers arranged for a forensic examination.
Butler was put on administrative leave on Friday after troopers filed charges of two counts of second-degree assault, a felony, and one count of fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor, according to Soden.
Vogel was charged on July 5 with four counts of misdemeanor fourth-degree assault on suspicion of putting the others in fear of a physical confrontation and two counts of disorderly conduct based on accusations of challenging Butler to a fight, according to charging documents. As of Nov. 4, Vogel continued to suffer from a droopy eye and told troopers he needed $900 to fix his teeth.
Butler, who was off duty at the time of the incident, has cooperated with troopers and with the police department, which conducted an administrative investigation, according to a City of Fairbanks news release.
Butler has training as a mixed martial artist and has been with the police department for six years. This year, he was promoted to detective. He told troopers: “I didn’t mean to hurt the guy. I did what I should have,” according to charging documents.
Vogel told authorities he felt like he was hit 30-40 times and that the beating last more than a minute. Butler told troopers that he struck him 3-5 times and that the incident lasted 5-10 seconds.
Butler’s sister, his fiancé, and his other brother-in-law support his account of what happened, according to charging documents.
Vogel’s wife, who had been drinking that night, told authorities that she does not remember the incident.
source: https://www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/police-detective-is-accused-of-assaulting-his-brother-in-law/article_f033ce4a-4fcb-11ec-88f7-17283a14b8b5.html
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