Mark S. Purtill
Staff Report
Mark S. Purtill, 62, of Los Alamos is facing a pretrial hearing Aug. 24 before Los Alamos Magistrate Judge Pat Casados on charges of battery against a household member and interference with communications. Purtill was arrested following a June 20 domestic disturbance at a 46th Street address.
Los Alamos Police Ofc. David Randleman was dispatched to the address in response to a 911 hang-up. A woman at the residence told Randleman that her son had died a few days earlier and that Purtill had allegedly been getting drunk and acting rudely to her since. She said when she arrived home that day she and Purtill had gotten into an argument and he had grabbed her and ripped her shirt. The victim also told Randleman that when she tried to call 911, Purtill had taken her phone and told her that if she called police she would be sorry.
Randleman’s report states the victim’s shirt was torn at both shoulders and she had a scratch on her arm but she didn’t know if the scratch was from the altercation with Purtill. Randleman observed that Purtill appeared to be intoxicated and smelled of alcohol. His report states that when Purtill was asked if he had anything to drink or was on any drugs he had replied that he wasn’t.
Purtill was placed under arrest and transported to the Los Alamos Detention Center where he was given a preliminary breath test indicating a .16, the report states. He allegedly stated that he and the victim had been playing football and that is how her shirt got torn. Purtill pleaded not guilty at his June 21 arraignment.
