A Nebraska man has been arrested after his girlfriend reportedly sought help from a Walmart employee, alleging he assaulted her and prevented her from escaping.
Authorities say Justis Barnhouse, 31, was taken into custody at a truck stop on U.S. Highway 77 north of Beatrice, Nebraska, after officers responded to a report of an assault on Tuesday, Oct. 28, according to a statement from the Gage County Sheriff’s Office.
Barnhouse’s girlfriend, a 47-year-old woman from Hutchinson, Kansas, told investigators that he allegedly strangled her five to six times that afternoon. She also claimed he took her cellphone to stop her from contacting law enforcement and held her for two days while she tried to retrieve her belongings from their camper so she could return home.
The pair later went to a Walmart in Beatrice. While inside, the woman reportedly managed to get the attention of an employee and asked them to follow her to the restroom, where she disclosed details about the alleged assault that had occurred earlier that day. The employee promptly contacted police.
Deputies arrested Barnhouse on charges of assault by strangulation and third-degree domestic assault, according to the sheriff’s office. It remains unclear whether he has entered a plea or obtained legal representation.
