Background: Boxwood Lane in Spartanburg, S.C. (Google Maps). Inset: Michael Disantos (Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office).
A South Carolina man was charged with domestic violence after police said he struck his wife, who was trying to stop him from driving drunk.
Michael Disantos, 68, was arrested on Sunday after Spartanburg Police Department officers came to his home on Boxwood Lane and found his wife at their neighbor’s house. According to a police report obtained by local Fox affiliate WHNS, Disantos’ wife told officers that she and her husband got into a fight on Sunday afternoon after she smoked his last cigarette. The wife, who was not named, told police that Disantos was intoxicated and threatened her.
When he prepared to leave to buy more cigarettes, she grabbed his keys. Disantos then allegedly struck his wife in the face, causing a bloody nose.
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When police arrived at the home of the Disantos’ neighbors, where the wife had reportedly fled, she told them that she took the keys so she could buy cigarettes instead of letting him drive. She provided more details about the altercation, during which Disantos allegedly attempted to strike her several more times but missed. According to the report, she cited his intoxicated state and his past strokes. She also stated that Disantos was angry with her because she wanted him to go to rehab.
Police also questioned Disantos at the couple’s home, where they said he smelled of alcohol. He initially denied to police that he threatened or struck his wife, but then allegedly admitted to the physical assault. According to the report, police saw that he had blood on his knuckles and noticed a trail of blood on the floor leading to the kitchen.
According to police, Disantos said that his wife took his keys to keep him from buying cigarettes himself. Police wrote that they told Disantos that she was actually trying to prevent him from driving while intoxicated.
Disantos’ wife told police that she did not want to press charges against her husband. He was arrested and booked into the Spartanburg County Detention Center after being charged with domestic violence. His bond was set at $1,500 and he was ordered not to have contact with his wife. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 26, 2026.
