YOUNGSTOWN Cop arrested in assault on woman

Both the officer and his girlfriend filed assault reports.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- An argument between Patrolman Chris Bonacci and his girlfriend resulted in his arrest on charges of assault and criminal damaging.
Early Sunday, Bonacci, 32, and his girlfriend, Wendy Neal, 29, of Boardman, filed assault reports at the police station downtown. In addition, she filed a complaint with Boardman police.
Bonacci is a three-year veteran of the department. In May, he received a meritorious service award.
He was arrested at home about 2 a.m. Sunday, on warrants issued through Boardman. Detective Sgt. Charles Guzzy of the Youngstown Police Department Internal Affairs Division took charge of Bonacci after his bond was posted.
She said
Neal told police that she and Bonacci had dinner with her parents at the ITAM Club on Calvin Street late Saturday afternoon. Around 7:30 p.m., she said, she and Bonacci began to argue over cell phone messages, reports show.
When the argument moved outside the club, Neal said, Bonacci grabbed her, spit on her, knocked her to the ground and called her names. She told police that she struck back to defend herself.
Neal said she went back into the club to get her mother, whom she drove home to Boardman. Reports don't mention how the father got home.
Neal told police she later spotted Bonacci, who followed her to Southern Boulevard, near Youngstown Christian School, then struck the rear of her car with his, reports show. Words were exchanged and Neal drove off. She called Boardman police from a plaza parking lot on Market Street.
He said
Bonacci said his girlfriend punched him in the face outside the ITAM Club, then followed him back inside to the men's room and punched him again. A witness broke up the scuffle, police said.
Bonacci said in his complaint that he had a friend take him to Neal's house to get his car and once at the house remembered that his police identification was in Neal's vehicle. Bonacci said he followed her to the lot of Youngstown Christian School and asked for his ID, but she shouted an expletive, reports show.
Bonacci said Neal backed her car into his, then drove off. He drove home.
His assault report was to be reviewed today by the city prosecutor.
meade@vindy.com