Cleveland man faces habitual assault charges

Published 10:52 am Tuesday, September 8, 2015

A man from Cleveland is in the Iredell County jail, charged with habitual assault following an April incident involving his ex-girlfriend.

Patrick Randelle McLaughlin, 37, of Brown Farms Drive in Cleveland, was picked up Sept. 3 during a routine traffic stop. He was wanted on a warrant for felony habitual misdemeanor assault and failing to appear in court.

According to a release from the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, Deputy Roger Vargas responded April 4 to to a medical facility due to a report of a domestic violence assault. Vargas spoke to the victim, who stated her ex-boyfriend, Patrick McLaughlin, had assaulted her by knocking her to the floor, stomping on her hand and kicking her in the head.

Vargas got a warrant for McLaughlin for assault on a female that night, but was unable to find McLaughlin.

The case was then forwarded to Det. Sgt. Katie Harwell with the Special Victim’s Unit. Harwell further investigated the incident and later obtained a warrant on McLaughlin for felony habitual misdemeanor assault.

McLaughlin also had an outstanding order for arrest for failing to appear in court on May 27 for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

On Sept. 3, Deputy David Caskaddon with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop where McLaughlin was a passenger in a vehicle. McLaughlin initially gave Caskaddon a false name; however, Caskaddon recognized McLaughlin from previous contact with him in the detention center.

Caskaddon arrested McLaughlin and presented him to the magistrate where he received a $5,000 bond for felony habitual misdemeanor assault and $1,000 for failure to appear in court.

He has not yet received a bond for assault on a female. McLaughlin is currently being held in the Iredell County Detention Center.