Court grants release for man who allegedly beat girlfriend

The Superior Court has granted the release of a man who was arrested last week for allegedly beating his girlfriend for waking him up.

During a bail modification hearing last Friday, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho granted the release of Andrew Cabrera Duenas, 36, to his twin brother and third-party custodian after submitting a $2,500 unsecured bond.

Duenas, who is facing charges of aggravated assault and battery, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace, allegedly beat his girlfriend for waking him up from his sleep in the early hours of March 31.

According to court documents, police responded to a domestic violence report at a store in Aftenas at around 2:59am on March 31. There, police met with the caller who had a swollen right eye and could barely open it, and what seemed to be a bruise around the upper bridge of her nose and between her eyes. The caller also complained of pain on her left chest.

The victim told the police that she got up the evening of March 30 to get a sweater because she was felt cold and accidently woke Duenas up. Duenas allegedly told her she did not have respect, called her names and then kicked her off the bed with both his feet. When she fell to the ground, the victim said she hit their boxed fan and was lying face-down on a laundry basket when Duenas picked her up, carried her, and slammed her onto the bed.

Duenas then allegedly punched her back with his right hand and, as she tried to get up, Duenas hit her face with his left hand.

The victim said she tried to calm Duenas down when he tried to punch her again by grabbing his hand. Duenas allegedly said, “You deserved it” and “You just drive me to the point of just hitting you.”

She said Duenas then took his phone and shone the flashlight in her face before telling her she had a “shiner,” which means a darkened bruise on her eye, and even asked how did she get it when he didn’t hit her face.

The victim, whose nose was bleeding at that point, said she got out of the bed to wash her face and when she returned, Duenas repeatedly apologized and told her, he did not mean to hurt her.

The victim said she replied, “But you did not hit me once; you hit me five times,” which angered Duenas again. He then allegedly responded, “Because of your mouth,” before punching her chest twice, then her upper stomach.

The victim said she later fell asleep but woke up after about an hour because she couldn’t take the pain.

After checking on her children, she went to a nearby store where she called 911.

In an interview with Duenas, police said he denied hitting his girlfriend and claims he only kicked her.