A 25-year-old Palm Coast man was arrested Tuesday after investigators say he battered a pregnant woman, strangled her and prevented her from leaving a residence during what authorities described as a prolonged domestic violence attack.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded May 18 to a domestic disturbance call at a residence in Palm Coast, where they spoke with a woman who reported being assaulted for several hours by Damien Irven, 25.
According to investigators, the incident began after an argument over text messages escalated into violence inside the home. The victim told deputies that Irven physically assaulted her, strangled her to the point she could not breathe and stopped her from leaving the residence. She told authorities she feared she would be killed during the encounter, which she estimated lasted between five and six hours.
Investigators also allege Irven threatened to kill the woman during a phone call the next day if she contacted law enforcement.
A felony warrant was later issued for his arrest. Detectives with the sheriff’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit, working alongside the Daytona Beach Police Department Violent Criminal Apprehension Team, located Irven on May 19 at an apartment complex in Daytona Beach and took him into custody.
Irven faces multiple felony charges, including aggravated battery on a pregnant person, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, witness tampering, robbery by sudden snatching and felony battery tied to a prior conviction, according to authorities.
The sheriff’s office said Irven has a prior domestic battery conviction in Flagler County. He was booked into the Volusia County Jail pending extradition to Flagler County.
Domestic violence advocates have long warned that strangulation is one of the strongest predictors of future lethal violence in abusive relationships. According to the Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention, victims who have previously been strangled by a partner face a significantly higher risk of later homicide.
Anyone experiencing domestic violence can contact the Family Life Center’s 24-hour hotline at 386-437-3505 or call 911 in an emergency.
