A kitchen quarrel in Acacia Crossings led to an arrest after police say an argument between family members turned physical, according to InMaricopa.
Police responded just after 8 p.m. on Oct. 13 to a report of an assault. A resident told officers that a family member had assaulted him and broken his nose, according to a probable cause statement.
The report says the dispute started after a family member left a mess on the stove and was told by 68-year-old John Thornton to clean up. When the person tried to clean the mess with bare hands, Thornton allegedly began yelling for the family member to move out and then punched him in the face.
According to the family member, he fell backward after being struck and hit his head on a wall. Thornton told police a different version, saying the family member approached him with clenched fists and that he pushed him away and used his elbow to hold him back. Police said the injuries appeared more consistent with the family member’s account. Thornton was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence-related assault and disorderly conduct.
