By OLIVIA BERGMEIER
Salina Post
Salina Police Department officers responded to a domestic disturbance Wednesday evening after a woman from Winfield, Kan., ran screaming from her vehicle away from her former boyfriend at the Rodeway Inn in Salina.
According to SPD Capt. James Feldman, around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 27, a witness reported a domestic disturbance at the inn at 429 West Diamond Drive after the woman took off screaming for help.
"It was reported that a male was breaking out a car window with a hammer," Feldman said. "He wanted her [the 42-year-old victim] to exit her car, she refused, and he then went to his vehicle and got a hammer, then walked up and broke out the driver's door window and was supposed to have threatened her to hit her with the hammer."
The victim reported that the former boyfriend, later identified as 48-year-old Hays resident Jay Weigel, was following her around town until stopping in the Rodeway Inn parking lot.
After Weigel demanded that the victim exit the car, she did and took off from the scene. Feldman said Weigel then allegedly slashed the victim's driver-side tire and stole her cell phone and wallet from the car.
"The damage to the car was valued at $200, and the missing items were valued at over $1,100," Feldman said.
Officers took the victim's report and then began looking for the assailant. Instead of finding Weigel early the following morning on their own, a Salina resident called SPD at about 1:15 a.m., Thursday, to report someone following them in town.
After the resident described the car, officers then found the vehicle and discovered it was Weigel who had committed the assault the previous evening.
Feldman said officers then arrested Weigel without incident in the area of North College Avenue and West Elm Street and requested charges for aggravated assault, criminal threat, vehicle burglary, theft and damage to property.
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