A 40-year-old Charlotte barber known for his fades and styled cuts was arrested on July 30 on charges connected to an alleged assault on his girlfriend. Victor Bridges, who works at a local barber shop, was charged with assault on a female and misdemeanor domestic violence following a physical altercation that police were called to investigate.
According to Charlotte Alerts News, the incident began when Bridges and his girlfriend, identified only as Ravan, got into an argument that escalated into a physical altercation. Ravan told police she and Bridges tussled, and she reported that she was left with scratch marks on her neck. Per the outlet’s account, Ravan said the scratch marks occurred while Bridges was taking her gold necklace, and he is accused of snatching the necklace from her during the struggle.
What the Charge Means Under State Law
Assault on a female is not a routine misdemeanor in North Carolina. Under state law, the offense is classified as a Class A1 misdemeanor — the highest misdemeanor category available — whenever it is committed by a man at least 18 years old against a woman, according to the Danny Glover Law Firm. A conviction can carry up to 150 days in jail along with fines and probation, per the Carolina Attorneys firm.
Because the case is classified as domestic violence, Bridges could not simply post bail with a magistrate after his arrest. State law requires that people arrested on domestic violence charges be held for up to 48 hours so a District Court judge, rather than a magistrate, can review the case and set release conditions, according to the UNC School of Government. Judges handling these hearings are authorized to examine a defendant’s criminal history and impose conditions such as staying away from the alleged victim’s home or workplace.
A Pattern of Domestic Violence Cases in Charlotte
Bridges’s arrest adds to a long list of domestic violence cases moving through Mecklenburg County’s courts this year, including Hoodline’s coverage of a Sunset Road cleaver attack arrest and a case in which a West Charlotte woman said she was strangled by her child’s father. The volume of such cases is significant: the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department fields between 35,000 and 40,000 domestic violence-related calls for service every year, and its specialized Domestic Violence Unit handles roughly 1,500 of the highest-risk and felony cases annually, per department data…