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Lorain councilman Angel Arroyo pleads not guilty to domestic violence charges

Police say he resisted arrest and refused to cooperate at the hospital.

LORAIN, Ohio — Lorain city councilman Angel Arroyo pleaded not guilty Monday to charges of domestic violence and resisting arrest.

Aroyo, 36, was issued a $2,500 bond. He was booked into the county jail Monday morning by Lorain Police.

According to a police report, Arroyo's wife called police around 1:24 a.m. from the couple's E. 30th Street home and told responding officers her intoxicated husband had assaulted her.

Arroyo's wife said the couple got into an argument about an altercation between their two children, one of which is from the wife's previous marriage. After the argument, Arroyo reportedly left for a work obligation and didn't return home. 

Arroyo's wife called him around midnight and realized he was drunk. She told police she went to bed after the phone call and Arroyo returned home around 1 a.m.

According to the report, Arroyo's wife said her husband woke her up by striking her on her right side, near her ribs, with the back of his hand. He continued to strike her and ignored her demands to stop.

Mrs. Arroyo said she sat up and her husband pushed her, nearly knocking her from the bed. As she left the bedroom, she said her husband "got into her face" and attempted to rekindle their argument from earlier. He reportedly became angrier and more agitated until his wife called police.

When officers tried to speak with Arroyo, "it was immediately obvious he was intoxicated," the report states. Police say he demanded to know "what law he violated" and "was there any crime committed?" 

Police say Arroyo was fully uncooperative and refused to answer any questions. He also threatened to text Lorain Mayor Chase Ritenauer and Police Chief Cel Rivera in attempt to sway the investigation.

Arroyo also claimed his wife had started the argument and said he was in bed when she refused to leave him alone. He said he had recorded the entire incident, but when police asked for the recording, he only agreed to provide it in exchange for assurance that it would not incriminate him. When police said they would need to view it first, it became clear Arroyo would not show them the recording.

When Arroyo was placed under arrest, he attempted to resist, according to the report. Police say he balled his fists and pulled his arms away from officers in attempt to avoid handcuffs, yelling that he had done nothing wrong.

When officers tried to take Arroyo to a police cruiser, he sat down on the porch steps and refused to move. Officers had to lift him by his arms to make him walk to the street, where Arroyo was searched.

The struggle continued after the search, as the report says Arroyo pulled away from the officers and bent at the waist, twisting his upper body to break the officer's grip.

When Arroyo refused to sit inside the police cruiser, the officers struggled to pull him inside the car. According to the report, Arroyo said, "Do what you have to do" when officers warned they'd have to physically restrain him. The officers eventually picked up Arroyo's legs, causing him to fall inside the car. 

While en route to the jail, Arroyo complained that officers injured his arm during their struggle and he needed medical attention.

Officers took Arroyo to Mercy Regional Medical Center, where he remained uncooperative with staff. According to the report, he challenged a hospital officer to fight and kicked the bed.

Arroyo also attempted to use his phone several times, telling officers he was going to call higher ranked Lorain police officers until his phone was taken away.

When Arroyo was cleared and discharged from the hospital, he was taken to the county jail, where there is medical staff on hand to care for his alleged shoulder injury. 

Arroyo also alleged that his arrest was a political move based on recent events at Lorain City Hall, according to the report. He was cleared by jail staff and booked without further incident. 

In Lorain Municipal Court Monday afternoon, Arroyo pleaded not guilty to first degree misdemeanor domestic violence which carries a six month jail sentence and $1,000 fine and 2nd degree resisting arrest which carries a 90 day jail term and a $750 fine. He received a $2,500 bond and his next court date is set for February 4th.

Arroyo, who serves Lorain's sixth ward, was previously arrested in December 2017 on charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct persisting, disorderly conduct by intoxication, obstructing official business and disturbing the peace.

During that incident, a friend of Arroyo told police Arroyo suffered an injury after falling from the hood of his car when he was told he was too intoxicated to drive. The man told police that Arroyo was trying to get him to come out of his home and that he didn't want him on his property. 

According to reports, Arroyo refused to leave the property multiple times and was placed under arrest. Refusing to get into the police car, Arroyo had to be pulled into the cruiser by another officer. While in the cruiser, Arroyo began kicking the windows en route to the Lorain City Jail, reports stated.

Arroyo spoke with WKYC in the days that followed his 2017 arrest. When asked what was next for him, Arroyo said, "Just building a bridge between myself, my family and the community for anyone I let down. Second, I will go to meetings and get the help so I won't put myself in this situation ever again." 

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