AUSTIN, Texas — An official with the Austin Police Department is on administrative leave after being charged with misdemeanor assault.
According to an affidavit obtained by KVUE, 48-year-old Jonathan Allen Kringen, who works as APD's Chief Data Officer, was arrested Sunday morning after police received a 911 call from a "frantic and crying" woman.
The affidavit states that police were called out to a home on Prosper Lane, near Mopac and W. 45th Street, late Saturday night. When officers arrived at the home, Kringen was allegedly spotted by officers through a window grabbing the woman by her face and pinning her to the sofa behind her with two children at his feet.
APD forced their way into the home and saw Kringen with his forearm still against the woman's bloody face. He was immediately detained.
According to the affidavit, the woman told police that Kringen was "extremely drunk" and unable to control himself while they were at a gala downtown, so he went to sleep in the bedroom. At some point, he vomited on the side of the bed, which led to them arguing about who would clean it up.
The woman told police that the argument escalated and eventually turned physical, but that she would not elaborate.
Police said they found a trail of blood in the home that led to the bedroom where the argument happened. Kringen told police he was trying to leave the apartment when he pushed the woman onto the sofa.
APD says they found the woman with an open wound on her right eyebrow that was bleeding profusely and that it was evident a large bruise around her eye was forming.
APD released the following statement to KVUE regarding Kringen's arrest:
"On Sunday, October 22, 2023, the Austin Police Department arrested Chief Data Officer Jonathan Kringen for Assault/Family violence. Dr. Kringen has been a City of Austin employee for three years. Per standard protocol, he has been placed on administrative leave until further notice. APD will complete a thorough investigation. To protect the integrity of the criminal justice process, no additional information will be provided until that process is complete."