CG News: CGC Dallas XO charged with criminal domestic violence

[BuoyJumper]

U.S. Coast Guard commander charged
with criminal domestic violence
By Andy Paras
July 14, 2010


                                                Commander Ellis at happier times aboard CGC DALLAS

LINCOLNVILLE, SC — The wife of a U.S. Coast Guard commander charged with criminal domestic violence said Wednesday that her husband should have never been taken to jail.

Charleston County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Commander Lawrence Ellis at his Lincolnville home early Wednesday morning after receiving a call from his mother-in-law saying she was worried about her daughter’s safety.

The 42-year-old executive officer of the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas was extremely intoxicated, loud and boisterous, according to an incident report.

The report says Ellis’ wife, Amanda, told deputies that he threw a wine glass at her from across the room and kicked an end table into the wall in front of their child but did not physically hurt her.

Amanda Ellis told The Post and Courier Wednesday that said she told deputies there was no reason to arrest her husband.

“There was no domestic violence last night,” she said. “There was an argument. Husbands and wives argue.”

Charleston County Sheriff’s Maj. John Clark said the deputy made the arrest based on the violent behavior showed by Ellis, even if he did not physically touch her.

“We stand by the report,” he said. “Our officer, based on what he observed at that scene, used that information to make an assessment.”

Amanda Ellis said she and her husband have hired an attorney and intend to fight the charge.

Lawrence Ellis will remain on active duty but that his position aboard the 378-foot Cutter Dallas may be temporarily filled to take time to be with his family.

Wyman said any future actions of the agency will depend on how the investigation proceeds.

Ellis is expected to appear in court again next month.

Original Article

[BuoyJumper]

IMO .... I feel sorry for this family.  The circumstances that led up to this were such that this was a powder keg primed and ready to explode and the witholding of sex apparently lit the fuse.

1st .. You've got a husband who's the XO on an aging cutter that should have been retired twenty years ago.  I'm sure he's under a lot of pressure from the C.O. above and from the crew who serve under him to try and keep the morale of the crew up and the cutter working on all fronts. Not an easy task when things are breaking or not functioning properly, almost on a daily basis. 

2nd .. At home a wife who has to deal with the day to day rigors and frustrations of raising an autistic child.  This is a huge stress amplifier.  A child that has caused strife between her and the husband over caring for the child in the past. His being absent some times for months leaving everything to her further exacerbates the situation.  Caring for their child eats away at her emotions and drains her physically every day.  It's no wonder she witheld sex, she was most likely physically and emotionally exhausted. 

3rd .. Add to the mix a mother in law who's trying to help her daughter with the autistic child but sticks her nose into their business causing further strife between the couple.

4th .. Then you have a husband who drinks a little too much trying to escape the pressures of being an XO on an aging cutter and the husband of a wife who's unhappy enough to threaten divorce out of the frustrations of trying to raise an autistic child in his absense.

Given some of the stresses on this family situation the "blow up" could have been much, much worse.  I'm glad for the family that the situation has been exposed.  I hope the CG will now step in and provide them the help they need.  Seems like we're seeing more and more of stress related situations in the CG these days.