Casper Man Arrested for Preventing Woman From Calling 911
Casper police on Monday arrested a man who allegedly broke a woman's cell phone in order to keep her from calling 911.
Rueben James Oldman, 36, was booked into jail on recommended charges of interference and interference with a 911 call. He will likely make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court at 2 p.m. Monday.
Court documents say two police officers went to an address on South Wisconsin shortly before 8:45 p.m. Monday to conduct a welfare check on a woman who was in danger according to out-of-state family members.
The woman had called family and seemed "really scared," charging papers say. She was reportedly in an abusive relationship with Oldman.
Oldman answered the door when officers knocked, and reportedly told them that the woman was not there. Officers explained the reason for their visit, and Oldman reportedly said he was on parole for second-degree murder. He went on to say that his parole officer told him not to allow officers inside his residence without the parole officer present, according to the affidavit.
After leaving a voicemail with the parole officer and speaking with Oldman again, officers were allowed inside the home, though Oldman said again that the alleged victim was not there.
An officer went inside and found a woman on the bed in a rear bedroom. Oldman allegedly said the woman was his other girlfriend, "Susan." The officer woke the woman, who identified herself as the alleged victim.
The womoan, who police say seemed highly intoxicated, told officers Oldman had beaten her from Sunday evening into Monday morning. She tried to use her cell phone to call 911, but Oldman saw what she was doing and allegedly shattered the phone.
Police could see no visible injuries to the woman, but did find a broken cell phone.
Oldman denied that any physical altercation took place between he and the alleged victim. He allegedly admitted to breaking her phone on Sunday night, but said he let her use his cell phone to call family members on Monday.
Oldman was arrested and taken to jail. The alleged victim was also arrested on an unrelated arrest warrant, and medical staff at Wyoming Medical Center were unable to find any visible injuries on the woman, according to the affidavit.