Officers were dispatched to a residence for a reported domestic assault. The incident led to an arrest after evidence and statements were collected.
On February 3 at approximately 2:03 p.m., the Knoxville Police Department was dispatched to the 400 block of North First Street in Knoxville for a report of a domestic abuse assault in progress.
According to court filings, officers arrived at the residence and made contact with the female victim and Brent Vriezelaar, 39, of Knoxville. Law enforcement interviewed the victim, who reported that she and Vriezelaar had been involved in a verbal argument the previous night.
The victim stated that shortly before police arrived, Vriezelaar returned home, prompting her to lock herself in a bedroom out of fear that he might assault her. Criminal reports indicate the victim told investigating officers that Vriezelaar forced his way through the locked bedroom door despite her pleas for him not to enter.
Court documents state that Vriezelaar then allegedly followed the victim into the bathroom, where he held her against the wall with one hand while holding an object near his face with the other hand.
When questioned by police, Vriezelaar admitted to forcing his way into the locked bedroom. He stated that he used a butter knife to gain entry and acknowledged that a verbal argument occurred while he was holding the knife.
Court filings note that Vriezelaar and the victim have been living together for approximately five years.
Vriezelaar was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Marion County Jail on a $2,000 cash or surety bond. A no-contact order was issued on February 4. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 13.
Editor’s note: All information was obtained from court documents related to the ongoing investigation.
