ROCK SPRINGS – A Nevada man is facing up to 30 years of prison time after allegedly attacking his girlfriend over the weekend.
Travis Matthew Geer, 44, of Elko, Nev., is charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of aggravated assault. The two charges are felonies, with the kidnapping charge carrying a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 and the aggravated assault charge carrying a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Geer’s bond was set at $75,000 cash or surety at an initial appearance hearing before Circuit Court Judge Craig Jones Monday afternoon. A preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 20 at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Jones.
According to court documents, Geer and his girlfriend were traveling to the area to visit family and go camping. After leaving Rock Springs Sept. 9, the couple traveled to the Pioneer Trails Picnic Grounds near Jamestown, believing the area to be a campground. Geer’s girlfriend told investigators the two were drinking whiskey and allegedly Geer becomes angry when drinking. The two became upset the picnic area was not a campground, but decided to camp anyway. While unloading their Jeep, Geer allegedly became enraged the tent poles were not packed and blamed the girlfriend for not packing them like she was told. The two decided to go back to town.
Geer’s girlfriend told investigators that after they left, he stopped their vehicle and turned to her, then allegedly punched her in the face. He allegedly continued hitting her as she curled up in the passenger seat. He then left the vehicle and walked to her door, opened it, and continued yelling at her about forgetting the tent poles. She yelled back at him, which she told investigators agitated him more and he allegedly hit her face again, causing her nose to gush blood.
He got back into the vehicle and drove to Highway 372, but wasn’t sure where to go. The girlfriend attempted to give him directions, but after he made a wrong turn and she told him to turn around, he became angry and allegedly began to strike her continuously. After he stopped, she left the vehicle to prevent him from attacking her further.
As she walked away, Geer allegedly walked behind her, grabbed her by the back of her hair and pulled her backwards to the vehicle and forced her back inside. The cycle allegedly continued where Geer would drive, then stop and would start yelling and allegedly hit his girlfriend. At one point, she opened the door rolled out as the vehicle was in motion. After she stopped face-first to the ground, Geer stopped the vehicle and allegedly forced her back into the vehicle. She told investigators she made other attempts at leaving the vehicle and did not voluntarily return.
At one point, Geer and his girlfriend were screaming at each other while she was in the passenger seat and she attempted to fight back. Geer allegedly told her “if you really want to do this, then let’s do this.” They then were outside the vehicle and allegedly trying to hit each other. Geer allegedly punched her nose and caused her to fall over. She attempted to crawl away, but Geer allegedly grabbed her by the hair and drug her back to the vehicle, throwing her into the passenger seat.
The girlfriend also tried to escape by jumping out of the vehicle and running towards the Green River. She hid behind a bush and turned off her phone’s flashlight, but noticed Geer drive the vehicle towards her. Concerned he may run her over, she popped out of the bush as he approached. He got out of the vehicle and allegedly forced her back into the vehicle. She told investigators she gave up and stayed in the vehicle after that.
Geer drove back to Highway 372 and his girlfriend muttered something she was unable to later recall. This caused Geer to decide to walk back to town and he exited the vehicle. She took the opportunity to slide into the driver’s seat and drive away from Geer, leaving him on the side of the road. She drove to Green River, but had trouble seeing because she did not have her glasses. She attempted to flag down passersby for help, but was unsuccessful. As she drove, she saw an ambulance and attempted to flag it down. The ambulance drove past, but turned around and stopped to assist her.
After being taken to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, she was found to have sustained three separate fractures to her nose, as well as bruising and redness on her face and cuts and scrapes on her arms and legs.
Geer was located at Little America after attempting to contact his girlfriend to be picked up from the travel stop. He was arrested by Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office deputies Sept. 10. He told deputies he was unaware of how his girlfriend had gotten injured and said he wasn’t with her for the previous 24 hours. His clothing had blood on it and he told deputies the blood, if tested, would show it came from him. Court documents state the injuries Geer had were superficial and did not require bandaging as he wasn’t bleeding. Geer’s clothing was collected as evidence after he was dressed out at the Sweetwater County Detention Center.
