Steven Beauchamp cut woman with table, kicked Chihuahua across room breaking its leg, police say

ILLINOIS -- A Joliet man who threw a tabletop at his live-in girlfriend and kicked their dog, breaking its leg, was arrested on aggravated battery and animal cruelty charges Sunday, Joliet police said.

Officers were called to the couple's 511 Florence Ave. home at about 12:50 a.m. after Steven M. Beauchamp, 24, reportedly cut his girlfriend's leg with a table that he broke in half and threw at her while they were arguing over Beauchamp's treatment of their pets, Cmdr. Al Roechner said.

The victim's mother called police at her daughter's request, at which point kicked the couple's Chihuahua across the room and broke its leg, he said.

Police took Beauchamp into custody as he was leaving the house. His girlfriend was taken to Presence St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet for treatment of her injury.

Beauchamp was charged with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count each of aggravated domestic battery and domestic battery. He is being held in the Will County jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.

(The Times Weekly - July 28, 2014)