The following is based on your complainant’s review of the reports of other officers and your complainant’s own investigation: On January 15, 2026, at about 10:30am, Ramsey County Emergency 911 received a call from an apartment on Wilson Ave. In St. Paul, Ramsey County. The caller said that a short time earlier, her child’s father had thrown her and “choked” her such that she could not breathe. St. Paul Police responded and met with the caller, AVR ([DOB REDACTED]). Her child’s father is the defendant, DAVAREA DASHAWN WILLIAMS ([DOB REDACTED]). She said that this morning in the apartment, she and the defendant had argued, during which he dragged her into the bedroom by her armpits.
She said that there, he held her down by his bodyweight and strangled her with both hands around her neck. She said that after he released her, she told him that she was calling police, and he left in their vehicle. AVR said that during the strangulation, she could not inhale. She said that she was pulling at his hands, causing a scratch to her own neck. She said that she was frightened. AVR said that the defendant has been increasingly abusive over the course of their six-year relationship. Their 20-month old child [NAME REDACTED] during the assault.
Officers observed and photographed the scratch, as well as bruising, to AVR’s neck. A warrant was found to be outstanding for the defendant’s arrest. Officers reached him by phone. He told them that he was at the home of his mother. They went there and took him into custody. The defendant’s mother told officers that after the defendant arrived at her home, he told her that he and AVR had argued, that AVR became verbally “aggressive” with him, and that he threw her onto the bed and then walked away.
In a follow up interview, AVR reiterated her statements at the scene. She estimated that the strangulation lasted about a minute. In a Mirandized interview, the defendant confirmed that he and AVR had argued and that he grabbed her under her armpits and threw her on the bed. He said that he did this in response to her throwing objects all over the apartment. He also said that he punched a hole in a wall of the apartment. But he denied doing anything else and denied knowledge of how she received the marks on her neck.
The defendant faces a pending charge of Assault in the Fifth Degree – Misdemeanor for an assault on a coworker of AVR with whom AVR had been arguing (Case No. ••-CR-••-••••).
