Woman jailed after assaulting family members while intoxicated

Contributed Photo/Courtesy GCSO: Ashley Ranae Schechter, 32, was booked into the jail on two counts of assault/domestic violence and a charge of criminal damage.

By Jon Johnson

jonjohnsonnews@gmail.com

SAFFORD – Ashley Ranae Schechter, 32, was arrested Aug. 22 on domestic violence charges after allegedly assaulting family members who were looking out for the best interests of Schechter’s children.

Schechter was booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on two counts of assault/domestic violence, and a charge of criminal damage. Two days later, the Graham County Attorney’s Office officially filed those same charges against her, and she entered a plea of not guilty on Aug. 25.

According to a Safford Police report, an officer was dispatched to Schechter’s residence on S. 8^th Avenue at about 12:08 a.m. regarding a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, the officer located a woman holding Schechter down on the ground.

According to three witnesses, Schechter was intoxicated and had a vocal altercation with her fiancé and – at one point – had attempted to strike him. The fiancé then called Schechter’s family member to come and take custody of Schechter’s daughters.

After the children were removed from the home, Schechter allegedly continued to be abrasive to her fiancé, and the family members returned to help calm her. At that point, Schechter allegedly struck her family member in her face, breaking her glasses. She also assaulted another family member, and knocked her to the ground, according to the police report. Neither family member wished to pursue charges.

Schechter allegedly told an officer that she was “buzzed” but not drunk and that she felt she had the right to assault her family members because they had come into the residence where she was residing. However, the women had come at the behest of Schechter’s fiancé, who also lives at the residence.