Report: Fort Mill man accused of domestic violence after threatening wife with gun

Deputies arrested a Fort Mill man this week on a high and aggravated assault domestic violence charge after his wife reported that he threatened her with a gun and destroyed her cellphone after she said she was going to call police.

The York County Sheriff’s Office arrested Walton Steven Garner, 55, on Tuesday night, according to the incident report. Garner told The Herald on Friday afternoon that he denies the allegations against him. He said he did not point the gun at his wife, did not threaten her with a weapon, and did not physically harm her.

Deputies who responded to the 911 call on Tuesday say Garner admitted to a verbal fight with his wife on Tuesday. He also admitted to destroying her cellphone and entering her bedroom with a gun, according to the sheriff’s report.

Garner told deputies he was upset with his wife because she had thrown a beer across a room, hitting his files and paperwork on Tuesday, the report states. Deputies say Garner had been drinking when they arrived at the home around 8:30 p.m., but he was not drunk.

When he brought a gun into her bedroom, his wife threatened to call police, the report states. He’s accused of telling his wife, “Go ahead and call the cops. All they will find is a mess,” according to the sheriff’s office. She said he then placed the gun on an ironing board next to her bed.

The woman also told deputies that Garner forcefully took her cellphone before smashing it on the ground. She then fled the home and called for help, the report states.

Deputies wrote in the incident report that the altercation on Tuesday was “serious” and that Garner’s actions had caused his wife to fear for her life. The report also states that authorities were concerned about the likelihood of future domestic violence problems in the home. The pistol was confiscated by police.

State Law Enforcement Division records show Garner has no criminal history of arrests on domestic violence or assault charges. Sheriff’s office records show Garner was released from the Moss Justice Detention Center in York on Wednesday after posting a $5,000 bond.

This story was originally published July 24, 2015 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Report: Fort Mill man accused of domestic violence after threatening wife with gun."