School resource officer beat his wife, report says. He’s charged for domestic violence
She had locked herself in the bathroom, and when deputies talked to the wife of Eric Bonaparte she had a swollen black eye, according to an Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office report.
Bonaparte, 43, was a police officer with the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety and a school resource officer. He was charged with domestic violence after an alleged abusive tirade against his wife, a police report shows. WLTX reported the story.
His wife told police that on Dec. 8 Bonaparte punched her in the face while they were at a Christmas party. The two went home, where Bonaparte hit his wife in the face again while they were in the garage, the report says. The beating stopped when a nephew came to the door, according to WLTX.
But after his wife showered and went to the bedroom, Bonaparte once again attacked, according to the police report. She ran from him, locking herself in a bathroom until a relative told her that her husband was gone.
When deputies arrived at Bonaparte’s house, they found his wife with a black eye. Police were told that Bonaparte was intoxicated and left the house in his police cruiser.
Deputies and Orangeburg DPS officers found Bonaparte in the town of Norway, according to WLTX. He was arrested and charged with third degree domestic violence. He denied the allegation, the police report says.
As he was being arrested Orangeburg police chief Mike Adams told Bonaparte that he was fired.
Bonaparte is at least the ninth South Carolina police officer or deputy charged with domestic violence this year that media outlets have reported.
This story was originally published December 15, 2018 at 11:01 AM.