A 23-year-old Brainerd man faces felony domestic charges after allegedly fighting with a woman over a PlayStation.
Kristopher Odilo Wehrs was charged Tuesday in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd with felony domestic by strangulation, gross misdemeanor domestic assault to inflict bodily harm and misdemeanor third-degree property damage.
Judge Kristine DeMay set $40,000 in bail with several conditions, including Wehrs cannot leave the state without written court approval, cannot use alcohol or drugs, and cannot contact the victim. He must make all future court appearances, including his next court date on March 8. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Brainerd man was still on the Crow Wing County in-custody list.
According to the criminal complaint filed in court against Wehrs, Crow Wing County deputies were dispatched at 5:11 p.m. Sunday to a residence on Highway 210 for a report of a physical domestic. Law enforcement was informed Wehrs was throwing things and damaging property all over the house.
Deputies arrived and were let into the residence by Wehrs' mother and he was standing in the kitchen. Wehrs was observed to be agitated as he was clenching his fists, cracking his knuckles, pacing about the room and staring off into the distance. A woman was observed from the hallway.
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The woman explained she and Wehrs slept in until around 2 p.m. and everything seemed fine. A short time later Wehrs began to get upset with her and snapped at her regarding their meals, the complaint stated. Wehrs continued to get upset throughout the afternoon. The woman said the defendant started calling her names and breaking things around the house. Wehrs broke a coffee table in the living room and at that time the woman suggested he go stay with his mother for a couple of days, the complaint stated. Wehrs said something about taking the PlayStation with him when he goes and the woman said that it would remain at the residence. The defendant started breaking more items, throwing the baby jumper into the living room window, breaking ornaments, knocking over the tree and throwing an Ottoman, the complaint stated. The woman told the deputy they were still arguing about the PlayStation while in the hallway and the defendant pushed her a number of times. The deputy observed damage to the walls and scrapes to the woman's elbow where it hit the wall.
The woman went on to explain at one point they were in the bedroom where the PlayStation was and she got on top of the machine and held onto it to prevent him from taking it. The defendant then put his left arm in front of her and began to apply force to her upper chest and neck with his elbow in an apparent attempt to pry her from the machine, the complaint stated. The deputy observed redness under her collar bone. The woman said Wehrs put continuous pressure on her lower throat for 30 seconds during which time she was unable to breathe, was gasping for breaths and could not speak, the complaint stated. The woman said he started throwing things again and when she could she left and he threw a PlayStation controller at her, hitting her in the back. Wehrs then threw a pot through the kitchen window.
The deputy spoke with the defendant's mom who explained she witnessed him breaking several items including the kitchen window. She also witnessed and tried to break up the fight in the hallway.
