Elvin Kani pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Superior Court Associate Judge David Wiseman ordered him to return to court on April 29 at 1:30 p.m.
Kani is allowed to post bail —$2,000 in cash and $18,000 in unsecured bond.
In his sworn statement to the court, Chief Prosecutor Kevin Lynch said police responded to a domestic violence call on the early morning of March 1 in Tanapag.
Kani’s sister made the call to seek help for the victim who sustained a blackeye and bruises during the incident.
The victim was rushed to the Commonwealth Health Center.
On March 4, police investigators interviewed the victim who said the suspect assaulted her inside their car.
Investigation showed the victim and Kani went to a party on Feb. 28.
Around midnight, the victim asked Kani’s permission to leave but he insisted that they stay.
The victim said she left after seeing Kani kissed his ex-girlfriend at the party.
She went to their house and took their two-month-old daughter to a relative’s house.
She stopped by at the party and asked Kani about the baby’s puffer.
Kani then told her to get in their car and together they went back to their house.
An argument ensued between the two while the suspect was driving back to their house. He began to physically assault the victim, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in court.
“While driving to the house, the suspect started bringing up the victim’s past. He then began slapping and punching the victim several times to the facial area and to her left upper arm while driving,” the affidavit stated.
To catch the people’s attention. the victim tried to press the car horn.
When they reached home, the victim turned over the baby to her mother-in-law, who was also hit by the suspect when she intervened, the affidavit stated.
It added that Kani hit the victim on her face and rib cage, prompting his sister to call the police.
The victim said it wasn’t the first time she was assaulted.
She said Kani would beat her up even when she was pregnant.
