McDonald’s customers help identify man seen attacking girlfriend, Indiana officials say

An Indiana man was arrested after customers of a McDonald’s restaurant said they saw him assault his girlfriend and force her into his car.

The incident, which occurred in Lafayette during the afternoon of Jan. 31, was witnessed by three people, the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s Office said

The suspect, 22-year-old Donovan Cruise Luff, was seen by the customers putting his hand on the throat of a woman who had exited his car outside the restaurant, officials say. The woman said “no,” but Luff forcefully pulled her back into the car, according to an affidavit.

One of the witnesses said the woman was grabbed by her hair, officials say. The woman kicked open the car door before Luff struck her, pushed her back inside and drove away, the prosecutor’s office said.

Video taken by the witnesses helped police track down the woman, according to the Journal & Courier.

Two days after the attack, police conducted a well-being check on the woman, but she denied the incident had occurred, officials wrote in the affidavit.

After Luff was arrested Feb. 3 and charged with possessing methamphetamine, the woman was again asked about the incident. She said she was the victim and was attempting to get away from her boyfriend, the prosecutor said.

The woman suffered a burn on her leg when she fell into hot coffee while being shoved into the car, she said, according to the affidavit. She also said she was punched in the face and bitten above her right eye.

A warrant for Luff’s arrest was served Feb. 10, the prosecutor said. He was charged with criminal confinement, kidnapping, domestic battery and methamphetamine possession, officials say.

The state requested Luff stay in jail on a $25,000 cash bond.