Sheriff’s files
STEVEN MROSS
The Sentinel-Record staff
A Royal man was arrested for battery Thursday evening after allegedly attacking his son during a drunken confrontation at their home.
James Randell Shirley, 39, of 551 Buttrum Road, was taken into custody at his residence around 6:45 p.m. and charged with thirddegree domestic battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. He was still being held without bond Friday and is set to appear Nov. 26 in district court.
According to reports, shortly before 6:30 p.m., Deputy Wharton was dispatched to the residence in reference to a domestic disturbance and made contact with the victim, 18, and a male witness, 18, who both stated the victim’s father, identified as Shirley, began arguing with the victim and then punched him in the mouth.
The blow caused a small cut on the inside and outside of the victim’s lip and prompted him to go next door to his grandmother’s house for help.
At that time, the suspect allegedly ran toward the victim and tackled him to the ground, causing the knuckles on both the victim’s hands to scrape across the ground resulting in bloody scratches.
Wharton then made contact with Shirley inside the residence and noted he had a strong odor of intoxicants on his breath, red, watery eyes and slurred speech.
When he questioned him about the incident, Shirley reportedly described the same sequence of events as the victim and witness so he was taken into custody.
The report notes the victim did not require medical attention
