By CALEB FREY

Staff Reporter

BOUTTE – A domestic dispute between a St. Charles couple almost turned deadly, leading to the arrest of a Boutte man on charges of attempted first-degree murder of his live-in girlfriend.

Troit Simmons, 36, 116 Simmons Lane, Boutte, was arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder and domestic violence July 1 after he allegedly beat his girlfriend who he shared a residence with nearly to death, according to St. Charles Sheriff’s Spokesman Sgt. Dwayne LaGrange.

The Sheriff’s Office believes Simmons was acting on a tip he received from an acquaintance that claimed his girlfriend had been seen with other men.

Simmons allegedly then picked the woman up from their residence and proceeded to take her to a wooded area near the home. Simmons then beat his girlfriend to where she was &#8220in such horrible shape, she needed to be sedated”, LaGrange said.

Simmons then took his girlfriend back to their residence where witnesses saw her crawl out of his vehicle and to her front steps. Neighbors called the Sheriff’s Office after seeing the badly beaten

woman drag herself to the front porch. When officers arrived, they found the victim slumped over on her front steps with her head between her knees and both arms appeared limp. Officers contacted EMS who noticed the victim had multiple contusions to the head, several fractured ribs, and was bleeding from the kidneys.

The victim was treated at St. Charles Hospital for her injuries that included multiple fractured ribs, multiple injuries to the head and abdomen, and internal bleeding.

LaGrange urged all victims of domestic violence to seek help as soon as possible.

&#8220Do something at the first appearance there might be violence because normally these relationships tend to lead to this sort of thing,” LaGrange said. &#8220This woman is lucky to be alive.”

Simmons is currently being held at the Nelson Coleman Correctional Facility on $500,000 bond set by 29tj Judicial District Judge Emile St. Pierre.