Former EC man gets jail for pointing gun at girlfriend

Jan. 16—EAU CLAIRE — A former Eau Claire man was sentenced to two days in jail for pointing a gun at his girlfriend and threatening to shoot her.

Damon M. Cart, 24, now of Clyde, Ohio, pleaded no contest recently in Eau Claire County Court to a misdemeanor count of pointing a firearm at another person.

A felony count of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct were dismissed but considered by Judge John Manydeeds at sentencing.

Manydeeds also fined Cart $1,086.

According to the criminal complaint:

Cart’s girlfriend contacted police at 4:52 a.m. on Sunday, Aug 14, 2021, to report a domestic disturbance and request a welfare check on her boyfriend.

She told police that Cart had come back from a shift at work, seemed a “bit off” and was potentially inebriated.

The two had a verbal argument about their relationship, and then Cart went to retrieve the girlfriend’s handgun.

Cart made vague suicidal statements while armed and eventually fell asleep on top of the firearm.

While Cart was sleeping, the woman took her two children and left the residence, afraid to return until he would leave.

The woman also told police that Cart had threatened to kill her the previous day, pointed the gun at her and said he’d commit suicide if she ever left him.

After fleeing her home early on Aug. 14, 2021, and calling police, the girlfriend then also received Facebook messages from Cart threatening suicide.

Concerned for the safety of Cart and the community, the local police SWAT team was called to surround the residence and negotiate for him to surrender.

At about 4:42 p.m. on Aug. 14, 2021, Cart left the home and was taken into custody without further incident.