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HAZEL PARK — A local man is in custody facing felony charges after police received a call from his girlfriend as she was reportedly being assaulted.
The suspect is Zachariah Zalac, 45, of Hazel Park. He was arraigned in the 43rd District Court in Hazel Park Jan. 6, charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder or by strangulation, a 10-year felony; domestic violence-third offense, a five-year felony; and malicious destruction of property to a building, a 93-day misdemeanor. His bond was set at $50,000 cash or surety only. At press time, Zalac did not have an attorney, according to court records.
Police said the incident occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m. Jan. 5. Officers reportedly responded to a home in the 600 block of East Meyers Avenue for a domestic assault in progress.
“Dispatch could hear (the victim) being actively assaulted while she was on the phone,” Hazel Park Police Chief William Hamel said.
Upon arrival, officers reportedly heard the victim yelling for help and found her in the bedroom with Zalac on top of her, punching her in the face. Zalac was taken into custody, and the victim was reportedly transported to a hospital with a swollen eye, several cuts in her mouth and a chipped tooth.
“The victim stated she had been dating the suspect for five years after he quit using alcohol. (She said) she received a call from the suspect, stating he was thinking of drinking,” Hamel said.
He said the woman told them that when she arrived home, the suspect was already there, drinking alcohol and inhaling nitrous oxide. The suspect allegedly started punching the victim in the head for no reason, and when she tried to leave, she was stopped and knocked to the floor where the punching and kicking continued.
“The victim was able to reach for her phone and call 911,” Hamel said.
As for the charge of malicious destruction of property to a building, the chief said that “while the suspect was in jail, (Zalac) damaged a light fixture in the cell block.”
