Big Lake man charged with domestic violence assault at elementary school

Witnesses reported an assault on a woman inside a vehicle parked at Big Lake Elementary School, bringing Alaska State Troopers to the Mat-Su campus Thursday afternoon.

Troopers with B Detachment responded at about 3 p.m. on July 9. According to the Alaska Department of Public Safety Daily Dispatch, "evidence and witness statements indicated Denning assaulted his girlfriend inside their vehicle at the elementary school." A Big Lake man was charged with Assault IV (Domestic Violence) and remanded to Mat-Su Pretrial.

The Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District says student and staff safety is its highest priority and that it works closely with law enforcement when incidents occur on or near campuses. Alaska has some of the highest rates of domestic violence and sexual assault in the United States, according to the Alaska Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

The man is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.