ST. LOUIS - A Belleville man admitted in federal court on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, to choking and assaulting a woman on the grounds of Gateway Arch National Park, according to a plea agreement detailing an incident that began during an argument in Belleville, Illinois, and ended on a service road in St. Louis.
Darrion Lamont Evans, 20, of Belleville, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of assault by strangulation and two counts of interstate domestic violence.
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In the plea agreement, Evans admitted strangling the victim, who he had been dating, on April 28, 2025.
National Park Service rangers encountered the victim near a vehicle parked on a service road. She had red marks on her face, neck, arms, legs and feet and injuries to her fingers, the plea agreement said.
The victim told rangers the couple began arguing in the car in Belleville. During that part of the argument, Evans grabbed the victim by the neck and shoved her head into the driver’s side door, breaking her glasses, according to the plea agreement. A bystander called 911.
Evans then agreed to drive the victim to her mother’s house in Dupo, Ill., and take a rideshare to his grandfather’s home in St. Louis, the plea agreement said. Instead, he began driving directly to his grandfather’s residence.
Once the victim realized Evans was not taking her to Dupo, she began pulling on the emergency brake and grabbing the steering wheel to make Evans exit the highway, according to the plea agreement. After they stopped on the service road, the argument continued and became physical.
Evans admitted choking the victim, slapping her and spitting on her, the plea agreement said. Part of the assault was captured on video.
Evans is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, 2026. Each count is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
The National Park Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Hoag is prosecuting.
