Casper Man Accused of Punching Pregnant Woman in Stomach

A Casper man is accused of beating a pregnant woman so badly that she needed to visit the emergency room earlier this month.

Tecumseh E. Perank waived a preliminary hearing in Natrona County Circuit Court this week. He's charged with a single count of aggravated assault, which is a felony punishable by up to 10 years behind bars, $10,000 in fines or both.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Casper police were called to a residence on South Jefferson on August 13 for a reported domestic violence incident.

After arrival, police found a woman with a black eye that appeared to be fresh. The woman told officers that she and Perank were arguing before he punched her in the face several times and once in the stomach before she managed to escape to a neighboring apartment.

Due to the severity of her injuries and danger to the baby, the woman was taken to the Wyoming Medical Center emergency room.

Perank denied punching the woman.

The affidavit alleges Perank was "visibly intoxicated" when he spoke with police following the alleged incident and nearly fell over while trying to stand up on multiple occasions.

A neighbor in an adjacent apartment told officers that she could hear the alleged victim and Perank arguing through the wall. The neighbor didn't think much of it until Perank sent her a Facebook message asking her to take her to the ER. The neighbor found that concerning.

A group of neighbors knocked on the door where the incident was taking place and were greeted by the alleged victim, who was crying hysterically.

Neighbors were also worried because they knew there was a 10-month-old baby in the apartment, the affidavit states.

Witnesses also described Perank leaving the apartment in "a fit of rage" and punching objects and poles.

The affidavit states that Perank had a blood alcohol level of .16. He has not had an opportunity to enter pleas to the charges and will do so during an upcoming district court arraignment, which has not yet been scheduled.