An Albany County man accused of beating his father bloody and unconscious in front of his young daughter, then putting a knife to his throat, had his case elevated to felony-level court on Tuesday.
Devon Jordan Vasquez, 32, could get up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the aggravated assault and battery charge that he faces.
Vasquez was put on the Albany County Sheriff’s Office’s radar about 10:20 p.m. Saturday when deputies were called to a report of “an active domestic between two male subjects,” Deputy Joseph Hiller wrote in an affidavit of probable cause filed in Vasquez’s case.
Vasquez had allegedly just threatened other family members with a crowbar at another residence, then drove to his father’s house with his daughter to confront his father, the affidavit says.
Covered In Blood
When Hiller arrived on the scene, he made contact with Vasquez, “who was covered in blood,” he says in the affidavit. “Vasquez’s juvenile daughter was also present outside the residence.”
Although covered in blood, not much, if any, of it appeared to be his own, Hiller adds.
The deputy then observed that the father “was also covered in blood with an approximately inch-and-a-half gash between his eyes, swollen eyes, and what appeared to be a broken nose,” the affidavit says.
The father told deputies that he was at home in his bedroom that night when his adult son showed up “and started yelling at him, then pushed him down and proceeded to punch him in the face repeatedly,” according to the affidavit.
Hiller’s account doesn’t say why Vasquez was upset or outline a reason for the alleged attack.
Vasquez’s father was already unconscious when the punches landed on his face because he had hit his head on a nightstand while being shoved to the floor, the affidavit says.
The father regained consciousness to find his son had a knife to his throat.
Vasquez’s daughter was in the room while he was pummeling his father, “but was sent out before the knife was put to his throat,” Hiller wrote. “Vasquez only stopped when he learned law enforcement had arrived at the residence.”
Blacked Out
Vasquez smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, telling deputies he had last had a drink about an hour prior to going to his father’s, the affidavit says.
That was at the home of another family member, where there was an incident where he was allegedly threatening people with a crowbar, the document adds. That’s when a family member called Vasquez’s father and told him Devon was coming over with his daughter.
Along with statements from witnesses, the father had a security camera in his bedroom that recorded Vasquez “assaulting him multiple times and leaving the bedroom,” the affidavit says.
The knife allegedly used in the assault was observed on the video and was found in the hallway of the home.
For his part, Vasquez told Hiller during an interview the next day after being read his Miranda rights that he did assault his father, “but had blacked out and did not remember pulling the knife on (him),” according to the affidavit.
During his Tuesday initial appearance in Albany County Circuit Court, a March 31 preliminary hearing was set for Vasquez, who also requested a court-appointed attorney.
Greg Johnson can be reached at greg@cowboystatedaily.com.
