Wayne T. Estep
California, MD— On May 6, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Trevor Teague responded to the Super Eight Motel located on Three Notch Road in California for the report of a domestic assault.
When Teague arrived on the scene he made contact with the victim, who advised, “she was involved in a verbal argument with her boyfriend. The victim advised the argument was over infidelity, and it escalated when the boyfriend who was identified as Wayne T. Estep, 24 of Mechanicsville, punched the victim in the face.
During the assault, the victim claimed, “that Estep punched and slapped her in the face, threw her to the ground, and strangled her with his hands around her throat,” according to charging documents. Teague observed visible injuries to the victim include a fresh abrasion on the victim’s face that was still bleeding.
Teague made contact with Estep, who was very intoxicated. Teague could smell an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from his person and he admitted to being ‘drunk.’ Estep initially advised, “he was assaulted but then quickly changed his story to he was not assaulted, and he stuck with that story the remainder of the investigation,” according to charging documents.
Estep denied ever assaulting the victim. The victim and Estep have been in relaltionship for five months, moving from hotels together in St. Mary’s County on the weekends. Estep was placed under arrest and transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center, where he was charged with second-degree assault.
Estep has a scheduled hearing in District Court June 23. Estep faces a maximum jail sentence of 10 years and/or a maximum fine of $2,500.
Contact Charles Seifert at c.seifert@thebaynet.com