A 38-year-old Brainerd man is accused of assaulting and twice choking woman following an argument at a Brainerd residence.
Michael James Payne made his first appearance Monday, Feb. 4, in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd and was charged with three felonies-stalking, domestic assault by strangulation and third-degree assault-as well as misdemeanor domestic assault.
Payne appeared before Judge Richard Zimmerman, who set unconditional bail at $50,000 and bail at $25,000 with conditions including no contact with the victim and following the domestic abuse no contact order.
According to the statement of probable cause filed against Payne, Brainerd police were called Friday about an after-the-fact domestic assault that took place Jan. 30 at a Brainerd residence.
An officer spoke with the victim, who said she and Payne, who know each other, got into an argument at his residence. She told police she had asked Payne for a ride home to Sebeka, but he refused and the two started arguing.
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During the argument, the victim said Payne twice choked her to the point she lost consciousness, and also kneed her in the back, knocked her to the floor twice and dragged her around by her ankle.
After the assault and another argument, the victim told police Payne grabbed her belongings and began throwing them at her. After she left his residence the victim said she was going to call 911 but Payne came outside and she was afraid of what was going to happen so she left.
The victim told police she was examined at a clinic and diagnosed with a concussion and she suffered from a substantial amount of bruising from the assault. The woman reported Payne assaulted her in a similar fashion two months earlier.
Police met with Payne, who stated he was sleeping when the woman asked him for a ride. Payne stated an argument ensued where the woman began slapping and hitting him in the face hundreds of times. Payne stated she began throwing a plate at him and his roommate and attempted to strike him and his roommate with a wrench of some sort, the complaint stated. Payne admitted to pushing her in attempt to get her to leave. Payne made a comment about not intending to hurt her.
The complaint stated Payne was very vague in his version of events to police and insisted he was the one who had been assaulted as he had been punched in the face by the woman's rings multiple times, causing scratches to his face.
Payne's next court appearance will be March 4.
