An 18-year-old Brainerd man faces criminal charges after allegedly strangling a woman before Christmas when an argument got heated over the holiday.
TaMaris Taezhaun Clay was charged Dec. 26 in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd with felony domestic assault by strangulation and misdemeanor domestic assault with intent to cause bodily harm.
Judge Erik J. Askegaard set bond at $10,000 with no conditions or zero dollars with conditions. Clay was released from Crow Wing County Jail and must abide by the conditions set, which include the inability to leave the state or have any contact with the victim, making and maintaining all contact with his public defender and no possessing firearms or dangerous weapons. Another court hearing was scheduled for Jan. 14 and an omnibus hearing will be March 4. Omnibus hearings are when attorneys typically go over the evidence, determine probable cause and go over court procedures.
According to the statement of probable cause, Brainerd police received a report at 10:29 p.m. Dec. 23 of a domestic dispute, possibly a physical confrontation, occurring at an apartment in the city.
The victim stated she and Clay were arguing most of the day, and it escalated to him grabbing her by the arm and shoving her around. She stated Clay grabbed her with his arms somewhere around her torso and squeezed her so hard she felt her back "crunch," the complaint stated. He also grabbed her by the neck with two hands, according to the victim, and she couldn't breathe for a period of five to 10 seconds.
ADVERTISEMENT
At the Crow Wing County Jail, Clay told officers he grabbed the victim's arm during the argument and shoved her in an effort to get her away from him. Clay further stated he grabbed her by the waist, picked her up and carried her to a bed. He stated the marks on her neck could have been from when he picked her up and her head/neck area hit his shoulder, the complaint stated.
