On November 3rd around 3:00 a.m. the Fremont County Sheriff’s office received a call about a domestic violence incident on Vine Street in Riverton.
The call suggested that 58-year-old Anthony Herrera of Riverton had assaulted a 52-year-old woman.
After deputies arrived at the residence they located the victim “curled in a ball on the couch.” Court documents show the Sheriff’s Department noted that the victim’s face was “badly swollen and bruised.” Additionally, the woman appeared to be “very frightened.”
She told Sheriff’s that the man who assaulted her was in her house across the street and that she had fled to a neighbors house for help. She also stated that Herrera had threatened to kill her if she “called the cops.”
The woman continued to describe the circumstances of what happened to law enforcement. She said the couple began their evening by getting drinks at a lounge in Shoshoni. They drove to her house where they continued to drink. She told officers that they had not been arguing when suddenly Herrera grabbed her by the hair and threw her onto the floor. She described being kicked in the face and head by his prosthetic leg multiple times. After a brief separation, another attack occurred when Herrera allegedly punched the victim in the nose. She was knocked to the floor and repeatedly kicked again. Court documents show that Herrera had repeatedly called the victim derogatory names and shouted, “I should kill you” and “If you rat me out to the cops or the sheriff’s I’m going to kill you.” She stated that she was kicked about 8 times during the first incident and about 12 additional times during the second incident.
After EMS arrived to assist the woman, the deputy went across the street to attempt to locate Herrara. The deputy was unable to locate him inside the house. He did, however, note there were signs of an altercation in the living room and a bedroom. Court documents said there was a trash can that had been tipped at an angle and a pair of sandals next to the trash can. There were multiple spots of fresh blood near the trash can. In the bedroom, the bedding appeared to have been torn apart, and a chair tipped over.
Riverton Police Department officers began to assist the Fremont County Sheriff’s Department and searched Herrera’s house. He was also not found at that location.
During the search, the victim’s mother contacted law enforcement to let them know she believed the victim’s truck had been taken by Herrera. The truck was reported and signed as stolen. The victim’s mother also stated that this was not the first time the man had assaulted her.
At 8:27 a.m., roughly five and a half hours after the initial assault call, Herrera knocked on the back door of the Fremont County Sheriff’s office in Riverton. The stolen truck was parked in the office parking lot. Herrera was arrested and turned over to the detention staff without incident.
The victim reportedly suffered a fractured nose and other facial injuries. She had multiple abrasions on both of her arms with bruising and swollen lumps. She also stated her left leg was sore and it hurt to walk.
On November 14th the case was transferred to District Court for arraignment.
Herrera is charged with two counts of “Aggravated Assualt and Battery.” The penalty could be enhanced because this is Herrara’s third violent felony. He was charged with 3rd-degree sexual assault in 1989 and aggravated assault in 2008.
Additionally, he is charged with “Felonious Restraint” and “Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle.”
If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 56 years of imprisonment.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.