Fresno County sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Eaton cited in battery of girlfriend

A decorated Fresno County sheriff’s sergeant was booked on misdemeanor battery charges involving his girlfriend Monday night, Fresno police said.

Mark Eaton was cited in connection with a Sept. 6 incident involving the woman, who reported the incident to police Nov. 8, Fresno police Lt. Joe Gomez said. Police have jurisdiction in the case because it allegedly occurred in the city.

Gomez said the identity of the victim, as well as the name of a witness who apparently corroborated the incident, were confidential.

Gomez said the report indicated the incident took place after Eaton and the victim, who have a child together, returned from a trip to the coast. The pair had been drinking and the victim asked Eaton to leave and Eaton pushed the victim back by her face.

When he was outside the residence, Eaton reportedly wanted to reenter the home and pushed the victim by her throat.

After interviewing the victim and the witness, police referred the case to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office, which issued a warrant. Gomez said Eaton came to police headquarters voluntarily and was cited on charges of battery and harassing the victim on the Internet.

A court date has not been set in the case. Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims said Eaton is on paid leave pending an administrative investigation and referred all questions to Fresno police.

In 2011, Eaton received California’s highest public safety award from Gov. Jerry Brown for bravery for his actions during a deadly 2010 shootout in Minkler. A Fresno County sheriff’s deputy and a Reedley police officer were killed during the shootout, and Eaton and other law enforcement officers rushed to aid colleagues.

This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Fresno County sheriff’s Sgt. Mark Eaton cited in battery of girlfriend."