Portsmouth Councilman Faces Second Arrest in Ongoing Domestic Dispute
In a recent incident on Sunday evening, Portsmouth City Councilman De’Andre Barnes was apprehended by police following a domestic dispute in the vicinity of Boat Street. This neighborhood, located off Deep Creek Boulevard, became the focal point of a police investigation after reports of a possible burglary were received shortly after 9 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers determined that the situation was a domestic altercation involving Councilman Barnes, according to the police statement. During their intervention, a physical confrontation transpired, leading to Barnes’ arrest. Details regarding the nature of the altercation remain undisclosed by the authorities.
Following his arrest, Barnes was released on personal recognizance. This marks the second arrest for Barnes within a month, as he was previously detained on November 12. That incident, cited in a news report, involved a domestic dispute with his daughter. Although apprehended, Barnes was not charged after a magistrate found insufficient grounds to issue a charge, resulting in his release.
Details from the police report on the November incident reveal that officers responded to a domestic dispute call at 7:45 p.m. in the 4000 block of Deep Creek Blvd. A passerby witnessed a female in distress, reportedly “being dragged by a Black male,” and alerted the authorities. The witness, who remained anonymous, described seeing “a Black female with a backpack” screaming for help.
State law mandates arrests in domestic violence cases if there’s probable cause from evidence or witness accounts. Although Barnes was initially detained, Magistrate David Ray Whitfield did not find probable cause to proceed with charges, leading to Barnes’ subsequent release.
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