Saline Police Reports: $500,000 Bond Set in Domestic Violence Case

14th District Judge Anna Frushour has set a $500,000 bond for Butch Timothy Welch, who is in jail after he was arraigned on three charges after allegedly assaulting his fiance at their residence in Six Trails Apartments on Saline's west side. 

Welch was arraigned on felony charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and interfering with electronic communications.  In addition, he faces the misdemeanor charge of domestic violence - second offense notice.

Saline Police were dispatched to the apartment complex at 4:38 a.m., Aug. 12.

The alleged victim told police there had been a long history of assaults by the man, but that they'd gotten back together and since had a child together. She told police he pushed her to the floor, covered her mouth and pressed on her throat so that she could not breathe. She said she broke free and screamed so that a neighbor might hear. She called 9-1-1.  She said that when he took the baby outside, she followed and used a second phone to record him making threats. She said she threw the phone into nearby bushes to keep him from taking the phone from her hands. She told police that he often threatens that he'll kill her if she leaves him.

Police arrested Welch at the scene.

Racial Slurs Allegedly Used During Confrontation

Two people have requested charges be pressed against a man accused of using racial slurs against a black woman during an altercation in the CVS parking lot. The incident occurred around 2 p.m., Aug. 5, when a man in a Ford Bronco Sport allegedly opened his car door into the side of a Chevrolet Equinox. The black woman in the Equinox got out of the vehicle and confronted the man, who then allegedly used racial slurs against the woman three times. 

The man told police he did not use racial slurs against the woman during the dispute. 

The owner of the Equinox and the woman said they wanted charges pressed against the man. The case was forwarded to the prosecutor's office.

Allegedly Drunk Driver Runs Into Trailer

An Ypsilanti man was arrested allegedly driving drunk after he crashed his Chevy Cobalt into a utility trailer shortly after midnight Aug. 14.

The man was driving west on Michigan Avenue near Harris Street when, according to his statement to police, he looked down to read a text. After that, he hit the trailer in front of him. The man steadfastly denied drinking or consuming drugs. Police conducted field sobriety tests and then a preliminary breath test before arresting the driver. A blood test was conducted at the Saline Area Fire Department. He was released from custody when sober around 7:30 a.m.

Cash Stolen From Jeep, Window Smashed at Faurecia

A Faurecia employee reported that someone took $200 from the center console of his 2016 Jeep while he worked on Aug. 14. The cash was stolen between 1:30 and 3 p.m. The victim told police someone smashed his passenger window to gain entry, causing an additional $150 in damages. Nothing else was reported stolen.

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