By Pat Culverhouse

An apparent argument over gasoline escalated into violence and a 19-year-old Minden man is now in custody on multiple charges stemming from the domestic incident.

Derayis Marye Taylor is being held for domestic abuse battery with child endangerment, interfering with emergency communication, false imprisonment and on a fugitive warrant from the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office.

He is being held at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center on a $10,000 bond.

Chief of Police Jared McIver said officers, responding to a residence in the 1200 block of East St. Saturday just before 8 a.m., found the victim in the driveway with blood on her shirt and blood on her inner left bicep and her left cheek.

During their interview, officers learned the victim asked Taylor about her vehicle being low on gasoline. Taylor, the woman’s live-in boyfriend, reportedly agreed to ask a relative for money for gas, but was refused. An apparent argument over the failure to borrow money ensued between Taylor and the victim.

According to statements, Taylor followed the victim into a bathroom of the residence where the argument escalated to violence. Taylor allegedly struck the victim in the face, then blocked the door to refuse her exit.

Officers learned when the woman did manage to get past the doorway, she went into her children’s bedroom to attempt to call 9-1-1. Taylor allegedly threw her to the side as she attempted to make the call. At that time, the victim reportedly broke a bedroom window to escape the residence.

Taylor then fled the scene in the woman’s vehicle, but reportedly ran out of gas a short time later. He was located  and taken into custody without incident. During his arrest, a firearm was found in his pants pocket, but officers reported the firearm was not used during the incident.

Officers reportedly learned children ranging in ages from one to 12 years old were inside the residence during the alleged incident.

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.