Can Domestic Violence Charges Be Based on an Allegation of Throwing an Object in Bakersfield?

Not every domestic violence allegation begins with an accusation that someone punched, slapped, or pushed another person.

Sometimes the allegation is:

“They threw something at me.”

An argument involving a thrown phone, glass, remote control, household item, or other object can lead to a police investigation and potentially criminal charges.

Exactly what happened matters.

An object does not necessarily have to cause a serious injury

People sometimes assume domestic violence charges require a significant physical injury.

That is not necessarily the case.

Police investigating an incident involving a thrown object may consider whether it:

• Hit the other person
• Caused a visible injury
• Was thrown toward the person
• Struck a wall or nearby object
• Was allegedly intended to frighten or threaten someone
• Damaged property

The absence of a serious injury does not necessarily end the investigation.

Where the object was thrown can matter

There can be a significant factual difference between throwing an object at someone and throwing an object elsewhere during an argument.

For example, one person may claim a glass was deliberately thrown at their head.

The accused may claim the glass was thrown into a sink or against a wall and was never directed toward the other person.

Those competing accounts may make physical evidence especially important.

Police may photograph the scene

When officers respond, they may photograph:

• Broken objects
• Damage to walls or furniture
• Debris
• Injuries
• The location where the object landed
• The overall room or scene

Those photographs may later be compared with the statements given by the people involved.

The physical layout of the scene can sometimes support—or raise questions about—a particular account.

Witnesses may have heard but not seen what happened

A neighbor, roommate, child, or other person may report hearing shouting followed by a crash.

But hearing something break is not necessarily the same as seeing who threw it, where it was thrown, or why it broke.

The distinction between what a witness actually observed and what the witness inferred may become important.

Statements immediately afterward can become evidence

Police may ask both people separately what happened.

Officers may also collect:

• 911 recordings
• Body-camera footage
• Text messages
• Photographs
• Videos
• Statements from witnesses

Someone may also send messages immediately after the argument describing or apologizing for what happened.

Those communications may later become part of the case.

Self-defense or accident may be relevant depending on the facts

Not every object that moves during a physical confrontation was deliberately thrown as an act of violence.

An object may be knocked over accidentally during a struggle.

In other circumstances, someone may claim an action occurred while defending themselves.

Those explanations do not automatically resolve the case, but they can make the sequence of events important.

What you should do now

If domestic violence allegations involve an object being thrown:

1. Write down exactly what happened while the events are fresh in your memory.
2. Identify the object and where everyone was positioned.
3. Preserve photographs, videos, messages, and other evidence.
4. Do not contact the alleged victim if a protective order prohibits contact.
5. Have a domestic violence lawyer compare the allegations with the physical and other evidence.

The fact that an object was thrown may be only the beginning of the analysis. Where it was thrown, why it was thrown, and what the evidence actually shows can matter.

Speak with a Bakersfield domestic violence lawyer today

If you are facing domestic violence charges in Bakersfield, Martens Law Firm can review the evidence, explain your legal options, and help protect your rights.

📞 Call (661) 590-0385 for a free consultation.

Written by Martens Law Firm