The Waynesboro Police Department has charged a Stuarts Draft man for a brutal assault on his ex-girlfriend that occurred last Thursday. Justin Brian Balser, 33 years old, faces one felony count of malicious wounding after an argument between the two of them got violent as they sat in her vehicle on the Kroger parking lot, 245 Arch Avenue.
The 43-year-old victim reported the incident to the Waynesboro Police Department the day after the assault. She had already gone to Augusta Health for treatment of several contusions to her face and chipped teeth. The victim told the officer that she and Balser had recently ended their relationship but were in the process of reconciling.
On May 14 they were in her vehicle at Kroger when they starting arguing. She told officers that Balser punched her in the face several times. He then threatened to damage her vehicle if she did not drive him to his residence in Stuarts Draft. She complied and drove him to a home in the 3000 block of Lyndhurst Road. At that location, he took the keys out the ignition and went toward the garage. When she asked for the keys to be returned, Balser put a firearm under her chin. He threatened to kill her and then himself. After she told him she would not report him to police, Balser relented and gave back her keys.
Due to offenses happening in two jurisdictions, the Police Department and the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case together. On May 16 at approximately 4 p.m., the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office arrested Balser on the Waynesboro charge and two Augusta County charges, abduction and use of firearm in the commission of a felony.
Balser is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail.
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Chris Graham
