P.

BACKGROUND

On March 9, 2011, law enforcement responded to a call of domestic violence at the home of defendant’s girlfriend, Elizabeth V. When law enforcement arrived, they

1 saw Elizabeth “frantically running” from her home, “carrying a small child in her arms.” Elizabeth approached the officers’ vehicle; she appeared “shooken up” and had visible injuries to her face and upper body. Elizabeth gave the officers “a brief synopsis [of] what happened,” and said that defendant had “fled the scene.” After five minutes of looking for defendant, the officers returned to the scene and spoke with Elizabeth. Elizabeth told the officers she and defendant had been arguing from approximately 1:00 a.m. until just before the officers arrived around noon. That argument became physical, and defendant told Elizabeth to go to the garage. Once there, Elizabeth called out for the woman who lived with them, Lacina N. Lacina came into the garage, and Elizabeth ran across the street to her neighbor’s house, asking her neighbor to call 911. Elizabeth then returned to her garage, where defendant again assaulted her. During the renewed assault, defendant “whipped” Elizabeth and Lacina with a jump rope,…