FAIRMONT — A Fairmont man is facing a felony charge in Martin County.

Roberto Zamora Jr., 35, has been charged with domestic assault, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

On March 26, a Fairmont police officer was dispatched to a residence in response to a report of a disturbance. At the residence, the officer made contact with a woman who was crying and holding her right hand over her right eye. She said Zamora, who lives with her, had assaulted her.

She said she and Zamora had been arguing in her residence and she called the police. She said that while she was on the phone, Zamora struck her in the eye. The officer observed that her eye was black-and-blue and swollen shut.

While the officer was talking with the woman, Zamora called her on her cell phone. The officer answered, and Zamora began yelling and swearing and calling the woman names.

The woman said Zamora had also slapped her and had thrown her to the ground before he left the house. The officer then left the residence to look for Zamora.

At 5:07 p.m. that day, another officer located Zamora as he drove into a driveway at another residence in Fairmont. The officer approached and ordered Zamora to exit the vehicle, which he refused. The first officer arrived to assist, and Zamora continued to refuse to exit the vehicle.

Officers were forced to pull him out of the vehicle. Zamora was agitated, argumentative and swearing at the first officer. In speaking with Zamora, the second officer detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Zamora, and observed that his eyes were watery and red.

The officer also located an open, partially full 16-ounce can of beer in the vehicle Zamora had been driving, along with three full cans of beer on the front passenger seat.

Zamora was transported to the Martin County Law Enforcement Center, where he failed three field sobriety tests. A breath sample later revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.26, or more than three times the legal limit.

Zamora was read his rights and agreed to answer questions. He said he struck the woman because she had called the cops.