Man Faces Felony Charges After Night Of Battles With Pregnant Wife

A man faces felony charges after a night of escalating battles with his pregnant wife, according to an arrest report from the Walton County Sheriff’s Office.

Gary O’Don Newell, 42, was charged with aggravated battery to a victim known to be pregnant. His wife of three years is 15 weeks pregnant. A deputy was sent to their Trout Drive home Wednesday at 1:43 a.m.

Earlier that night, Newell locked himself in his shed and threatened his wife when she tried to get him to come out. The woman pried the door open with a hammer and smoked her husband out by blowing cigarette smoke into the structure.

The fight escalated after the wife hid all of the vehicle keys in her pocket. When Newell exited the shed, he pushed his wife into the woods, held her down and threatened “to throw a bucket of urine on her” if she did not return the keys, the report said.

She got him to let go of her by saying she would go get the keys. Newell chased his wife around the home when he realized she had the keys on her. He wrestled her to the ground and ripped off her shirt to retrieve them.

Newell’s wife ran for help and flagged down a van. The unidentified man said he did not have a phone but would make the call at home.

The wife returned home and found Newell sitting in his car with her purse. When she tried to retrieve it, Newell pushed her to the pavement.

Newell said he had thrown her belongings into the creek behind their home. He starting walking to the creek with the purse but stopped when he heard his wife on the phone with dispatch.

Newell promised his wife he would not throw her purse in the creek and asked her to tell dispatch not to send anyone.

While being placed under arrest, Newell requested an ambulance because he said he could not breathe.

Once in the hospital, he told the staff that the deputy “manhandled” him; dragged him out of his bathroom; kicked him into his living room; threw him on the grass; and refused to call for an ambulance.

“He was complaining to the hospital staff that he could not breathe but during the whole time at the hospital he would have enough breath to curse the doctor and myself for ‘inadequate’ treatment,” wrote the deputy in Newell’s arrest report.

Newell requested a cardiologist but was cleared with good health. Newell said he would sue the WCSO and the doctor for abusing him.

Once at the jail, the deputy let Newell out of the patrol car.

“So how did you like my act?” Newell asked him. “Your ass is mine.”