A 30-year-old Brainerd man faces assault charges for allegedly walking into a Baxter residence and choking a woman.
David A. Murray made his first appearance Friday in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd on charges of felony domestic assault by strangulation, gross misdemeanor of endangering a child and two misdemeanors of domestic assault and property damage.
According to the statement of probable cause filed against Murray, the Baxter Police Department was dispatched at 10:23 p.m. Wednesday to a residence regarding a report of a physical domestic that occurred approximately 15 minutes prior. The officer made contact with the victim, who is known to Murray, who stated Murray came to her residence and was banging on the door. She thought he he was going to break in the door, so she let him inside.
Murray came at her immediately while she was holding her daughter and put his hands around her neck and strangled her, the complaint stated. While he had his hands on her neck, she was unable to breathe. When he removed his hands from her throat, he slapped her across the face. When she went outside of the residence and began to call 911, Murray allegedly grabbed her phone and also bit her hand.
Murray was not at the residence when officers arrived. Officers eventually located Murray at the North Long Lake Public Access on Train Bell Road and he was arrested. Without any questions from the officer on scene, Murray admitted to slapping the victim twice.
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At the jail, Murray told an officer he called the victim and said he was coming over. Murray stated the conversation was initially calm once he arrived, but escalated when she told him another person was coming over and he had to leave. The victim then started pushing him out the door of the residence and said she was going to call the police, the complaint stated.
Murray said during this time, the victim put her hand up and he bit it, and then slapped her on the left side of her face. Murray denied any additional assaultive behavior, but admitted to damaging the flower pot by kicking it prior to slapping the victim. Murray stated the victim never attempted to call the police, and he denied ever taking her phone.
