A rural Austin man who allegedly hit a woman nearly 20 times and caused her substantial bodily harm — including a large gash on her head — pleaded not guilty Thursday in Mower County Court.

Nicolas Gomez, 23, pleaded not guilty to one count of third-degree domestic assault with substantial bodily harm, a felony, and one count of gross misdemeanor domestic assault.

Mower County Sheriff’s deputies dispatched the night of March 3 to 581st Avenue in rural Austin to a report of domestic assault. Upon arrival, officers found a female with a large gash on her head, rips in her shirt and blood covering her hands. The victim said that Gomez left earlier in the day, returned that night and appeared to be drunk, according to the court complaint. The victim told authorities that Gomez grabbed her hair, punched her, pushed her to the ground and continuously beat her. She also said the victim hit her nearly 20 times, and at one point her head hit a door, which may have caused the gash, the complaint says.

An officer waited for Gomez outside the home he was suspected to be in when a man wielding a 2-and-a-half foot metal rod with triangular spikes came out. The officer ordered the man, Gomez, to drop the weapon several times before Gomez complied, according to the complaint. The complaint also states the officer ordered Gomez to lie on the ground several times before he listened. Two young children were reportedly also at the home at the time.

According to the complaint, officers arrested Gomez and took him to the Mower County jail, during which he voluntarily told officers, “I went to a class for battery; I don’t agree with them. They deserve to get hit.”

The complaint also says Gomez told authorities he is a “true gangster,” and that, “When girls mouth off, they deserve to get smacked.”

Gomez was then given a blood-alcohol test and registered a .27. A review of his record shows he has been convicted of domestic assault in Marshall County, Iowa. Gomez’s pre-trial is set for May 25.