Woman beaten and hospitalized; Wamsutter man arrested

Woman beaten and hospitalized; Wamsutter man arrested

WAMSUTTER – Bond was set Friday on a Wamsutter man charged with multiple crimes following attacks that put the victim in the hospital.

Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell said Robert Jon Carmine, 35, is charged with two counts of alleged Aggravated Assault, two counts of Battery Against a Household Member, Strangulation of a Household Member, Kidnapping, and Criminal Trespass.

The victim was identified as Amber Blount, also of Wamsutter, who was in a dating relationship with Carmine, according to court documents.

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On October 17, 2013, Carmine is alleged to have “kicked or stomped her [Amber Blount] with a pair of boots. Robert Carmine then ran into the residence and grabbed her by the throat and shoved her against a wall. At least one of the large serious bruises observed on Ms. Blount at the hospital was from Robert Carmine’s boot on that day.”

Charging documents go on to say that information was collected by Detective Michelle Hall from Amber Blount and a number of witnesses indicating that on October 23, 2013, “Ms. Blount was pulled into Robert Carmine’s vehicle and Robert Carmine proceeded to batter her in the face. She was bleeding from the mouth and had a gash on her forehead. Robert Carmine proceeded to tackle Ms. Blount and strangled her with both hands around her neck while she was on the floor. Robert Carmine was also punching her in the face. Once inside the residence, Robert Carmine locked the door and held a broken beer bottle to Ms. Blount’s neck. He told Ms. Blount that if she makes a sound he would kill her. He told her that he wanted to bring her back to the bathtub in the residence to kill her. Ms. Blount believed she was going to die.”

Blount was transported to Memorial Hospital of Carbon County in Rawlins, where she was admitted for treatment of a range of injuries and later released.

Haskell said county detectives tracked Carmine to a residence in Rock Springs later in the day, where they arrested him without incident.

Circuit Court Judge John Prokos set Carmine’s bond at $250,000 cash or surety on Friday. A tentative preliminary hearing date has been set for October 29.

Carmine remains in custody at this time. The investigation continues.