(KMJ) – A decorated Fresno County Sheriff’s Sergeant was booked on misdemeanor battery charges involving his girlfriend.
Fresno Police say Mark Eaton was cited in connection with a Sept. 6 incident involving the woman, who reported the incident to police Nov. 8. Fresno Police have jurisdiction in the case because it allegedly occurred in the city.
The identity of the victim, as well as the name of a witness who apparently corroborated the incident, were confidential.
Investigators say the alleged incident took place after Eaton and the victim, who have a child together, returned from a trip to the coast. The pair had been drinking and the victim asked Eaton to leave and Eaton pushed the victim back by her face.
Eaton came to police headquarters voluntarily on Monday and was cited on charges of battery and harassing the victim on the Internet.
A court date has not been set in the case. Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said Eaton is on paid leave pending an administrative investigation and referred all questions to Fresno police.
In 2011, Eaton received California’s highest public safety award from Gov. Jerry Brown for bravery for his actions during a deadly 2010 shootout in Minkler.
