A Madison man was arrested Tuesday on domestic violence charges after an altercation in Athens with his wife and stepchild, the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office said.

LCSO investigators responded July 21 to Mill Valley Drive in Athens after reports of violence between 32-year-old Jovante Nathaniel Sullivan and his wife of one month, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.

In a request for a protection from abuse order, the wife said she woke up from a nap with her daughter and called Sullivan to see where he was. She said she “could tell he was drunk and angry.”

About 15 minutes later, she said, he kicked open the front door, grabbed her and shoved her into the wall. After he let go, the victim’s 2-year-old approached Sullivan, who pushed the toddler into the wall and cursed at her, the victim said. She said she went to check on her child, at which point Sullivan began choking her.

The victim’s parents arrived and Sullivan became aware the police had been called, so he left the home, shattering their living room TV on his way out, the victim said.

She said Sullivan had a history of drunken violence, including a separate, previously unreported incident in March. In that incident, the victim said Sullivan “busted my head open with a wooded organizer box,” strangled her until she lost consciousness and “broke a TV and the computer.”

She said she began placing a call to police but hung up and didn’t try again to report the incident until now “due to him sobering up and being apologetic.”

The victim said she fears for her life and her children, writing, “As he left yesterday, he kept saying he would burn down my house and he hopes me and my children are inside. He is a very violent man and has a major drinking problem.”

Investigators obtained a warrant and arrested Sullivan on Tuesday on charges of domestic violence (strangulation) and domestic violence (harassment). He remained Wednesday in the Limestone County Jail with bail set at $12,500.

The sheriff’s office said Sullivan was on probation at the time of his arrest. The probation stemmed from an 2017 arrest in Madison County for domestic violence (strangulation), discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle and third-degree burglary. The victim in that incident is not the same victim as the one in Limestone County.