By Bonnie Culverhouse

Minden Police have arrested a local man for striking his girlfriend.

Rudy Quinonez, 29, of the 800 block of Norton St., Minden, is charged with domestic abuse with child endangerment.

Chief Jared McIver said Lt. Chris Hammontree and Sgt. Mitch Hackett were dispatched to the Norton Street address in reference to a disturbance.

“Lt. Hammontree made contact with Quinonez who was sitting on his front porch steps,” McIver said. “Quinonez told officers he was with his girlfriend and her son at a local fast-food restaurant when she became angry and ordered Quinones out of the vehicle.”

When he refused, she allegedly slapped him.

“Quinonez said he hit his girlfriend as a reaction to getting hit,” said the chief. “He also admitted to pulling her hair while in the vehicle.”

The victim reportedly drove Quinonez to his residence where officers found him. After talking with the subject, Lt. Hammontree made contact with the victim’s mother who was taking her daughter to the hospital for a broken nose.

At the hospital, the girlfriend reportedly told officers she and Quinonez went to the day care center to get her son. From there, they drove to the restaurant.

“According to her, she said something to upset Quinonez,” McIver said. “He grabbed her hair and she slapped him. She tried to get him to exit the vehicle, but he refused. She drove him to his residence on Norton Street where he repeatedly punched her in the face.”

McIver said the victim had severe facial trauma with blood loss.

This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.