Crime & Safety

Man Charged With Assaulting Girlfriend Twice in Four Days

Kirkwood Police said the Oakland man picked his girlfriend up by the neck and slammed her to the ground March 25.

An Oakland man is accused of assaulting his girlfriend twice within four days at their home on Melshire Court.

Craig Gotsch, 51, of the first block of Melshire Court in Oakland, was charged Tuesday with second-degree domestic assault and third-degree domestic assault.

Kirkwood Police said Gotsch lifted his girlfriend off the ground by her neck at about 10 a.m. March 25, slammed her to the ground and punched her in the face. She suffered scrapes and bruising, according to a court document.

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Police said he also choked his girlfriend at about 10 p.m. March 22.

Gotsch is being held in the St. Louis County Justice Center. Bail was set at $50,000.

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If you have experienced or know someone who has experienced domestic or sexual violence, find resources through the St. Louis Ending Violence Against Women Network (SLEVAWN) or call the Safe Connections 24-hour crisis hotline at 314-531-2003.

For more crime information on Kirkwood Patch, see the following articles:

  • Custody Exchange Turns Violent in Kirkwood
  • Domestic Dispute Lands 16-Year-Old Girl in Police Custody


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