A Green River man pleaded not guilty to eight felony charges and nine misdemeanor charges, which stemmed from a four to five-month relationship.
Joseph Daniel Kunkle, 30, recently appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery at an arraignment to all 17 charges. The felony charges were, strangulation of a household member, three counts of battery against a household member, two counts of child abuse, stalking and third-degree sexual assault. The misdemeanor charges are unlawful contact without bodily injury, interference with emergency calls, carrying or displaying driver’s license, driving without ignition interlock device, violation of protection, property destruction and defacement, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and driving while license cancelled, suspended or revoked.
If found guilty of all felony charges, Kunkle could face up to 55 years in prison and a maximum fine of $56,000. If found guilty of all misdemeanor charges, he could face a maximum jail sentence of five years and three months in jail and a maximum fine of $7,250. A jury trial has been scheduled to take place on March 9, 2015.
According to court documents, on March 29, 2014, a couple of Green River Police officers responded to a call about a possible domestic violence incident. Upon arrival, they spoke with his girlfriend, who said she was in a dating relationship with Kunkle, who had allegedly “choked” her the night before while she was staying at his residence.
She said her father had called to check on her and while she was telling him about the alleged choking incident, Kunkle noticed she was on the phone; and allegedly broke the phone, placed one hand around her throat and shoved her backward, but he did not squeeze her throat. She then ran to her children and they started packing up their belongings while Kunkle continued to yell at them. Kunkle then charged at her, so she threw a lamp at him, but missed.
On May 3, 2014, officers were dispatched to a safe house regarding a domestic altercation. After arriving, the spoke with his girlfriend who said Kunkle had showed up at the safe house asking her to come to his residence. When she refused, he called her names and pushed past her, knocking her to the ground.
On May 6, 2014, officers listened to 911 calls stemming from the May 3, 2014, incident. On the 911 call, she is heard saying “Joey Kunkle punched me in the face with my kids (there.) He just drove off.” She later states in the call that she had blacked out and did not know where her kids were.
A second 911 from Rodney Hill, call came in about one hour after the girlfriend’s call, Rodney stated that Kunkle had hit his five-year-old grandson and split his eye open. Officers went to check on the boy who was staying with his girlfriend’s sister, who said whenever she asked the boy what happened to his eye the boy would say “Joey” was hitting mommy. Officers observed the boy’s left eye was bruised and there was a laceration above the left eye. There was also an abrasion on the boy’s left cheek.
She informed the officers that she and Kunkle had been dating four or five months and that she had been staying at the safe house, but decided on May 3, 2014, to stay at Kunkle’s home that night. When they arrived, she could smell alcohol in Kunkle’s breath; and that as soon as she and her children entered the residence, Kunkle shut and locked the door. Kunkle then shoved her to the couch and held her on it. While she attempted to use her phone to call for help, he allegedly took the phone from her.
She said her children were yelling and screaming as they watched Kunkle allegedly elbow her in the head about six times. She said she blacked out at one point, but Kunkle allegedly continued to push her head on the couch, while hitting her in the back of the head.
During this, her son tried to help her, but all she heard was a scream. When Kunkle was done allegedly hitting her, she got up and told her kids they were leaving. As they tried to leave, Kunkle grabbed her and slammed the door shut. Officers noticed bruising on her temple, arms, right cheek and scratches on her neck.
The son was interviewed by an officer and he told them his mother and Kunkle were fighting when he got hurt. The boy told his grandfather “Joey hit me, Papa.”
Regarding the May 28, 2014, incident Kunkle’s girlfriend told officers that she was at Kunkle’s house and wanted to leave, but he told her she was not going anywhere without him. When she attempted to leave, he allegedly kicked her in her thigh and choked her with her sweatshirt hood over her head so he would not leave marks. Kunkle told her that if she got his sent back to prison he would kill her.
On June 2, 2014, Kunkle was cited for allegedly not having drivers license and driving without an interlock device.
On June 6, 2014, a protection order was placed against Kunkle. One of the stipulations of that order was that Kunkle have not contact directly or indirectly with the woman he once dated. On July 1, 2014, she showed police that Kunkle had allegedly texted her more than 50 times and called numerous times between June 21, 2014, and June 25, 2014.
She bought a new phone and got a new phone number, but since Kunkle knew the serial number on the account he was able to view all of her text messages and allegedly sent her more texts with foul language. Kunkle also allegedly threatened to blackmail her with a photo; and was allegedly driving by her residence numerous times.
On July 24, 2014, Kunkle’s former lover was taking her children to dinner when Kunkle blocked her vehicle with his after she was out of the car. He then got out of his car, shoved her against her car and allegedly touched her inappropriately. When she shoved him off, he grabbed her and allegedly threw her against the car. She was able to get back into the car, but when she tried to leave, Kunkle allegedly punched the windshield, causing it to break. The glass cut her son’s ankle. Officer observed the windshield was broken and a cut on the boy’s ankle.
On July 26, 2014, Kunkle was pulled over by an officer who knew Kunkle had a warrant for his arrest. After pulling Kunkle over, he allegedly found 2 grams of a green, leafy substance, later identified as marijuana, and one and one-eights of a gram of a white crystal-like substance, later identified at methamphetamine. The officer also noted Kunkle was allegedly driving while his license was revoked.
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