ROANE MAN ARRESTED AFTER BEATING WOMAN WITH LOGGING CHAIN

(07/14/2021)
A man from Spencer was arrested after a woman was severely beaten earlier this month, including with a logging chain, Roane County court records show.

Houston Michael Huffman, 26, faces charges including two counts of malicious wounding, one count of strangulation, unlawful restraint, domestic battery and domestic assault.

According to the criminal complaint, the incident happened Wednesday, July 7 inside a home in the 4800 block of Ripley Road.

Investigators say the victim was covered in blood. Both of her eyes were swollen and black, and her nose appeared to be broken. She was missing part of her front tooth and had a large scalp laceration, according to the complaint.

The woman told investigators the suspect used a hitch from a logging chain and beat her repeatedly -- with the hitch balled in his fist. She said he also tried to choke her and snap her neck.

She went on to tell investigators that the suspect threatened to kill her and put her in the bathtub. She said she managed to get away after acting like she had passed out. She flagged down help in the 4000 block of Ripley Road when she saw a police cruiser there.

Court records say Huffman was arrested in 2017 for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman.

Huffman is in custody in the South Central Regional Jail.