A 39-year-old Baxter man was accused of punching and choking a woman in July at a Pequot Lakes residence.
The man, in turn, told police he was the one who was assaulted.
Daniel Jordan Thurstin, was charged July 21 in Crow Wing County District Court in Brainerd with two counts of felony domestic assault by strangulation and gross misdemeanor domestic assault.
According to the court document filed against Thurstin, authorities were called at 6:58 p.m. July 18 to a physical domestic assault in Pequot Lakes. While officers were responding, Crow Wing County Sheriff’s dispatchers advised them a woman reported being choked and hit in the face by a man who had a pit bull with him. Dispatchers also advised officers the man called 911 to report he was assaulted.
As a Pequot Lakes police sergeant arrived at the residence, Thurstin dropped to his knees and put his hands behind his head. He stated he was on the phone with 911. He told the sergeant he “... got it on camera” and thought the phone he used was somewhere in the residence, according to the criminal complaint. Thurstin told officers there was a physical altercation and he was assaulted by the woman. Thurstin stated she threw her stuff down, ran at him and his phone went flying. Thurstin stated the woman was yelling at him and his dog started barking at her. Thurstin stated that’s when she ran out and that he didn’t touch her. The sergeant asked Thurstin if he had any injuries and he stated he did on his neck. The sergeant observed a single scratch on the right side of his neck. The sergeant detained Thurstin in the back of his squad car while he went to the residence.
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The sergeant then spoke with the woman inside the apartment. There was food scattered around the floor of the kitchen area. The woman was visibly upset and crying, the complaint stated. She had dried blood on her lips and numerous scratches and redness on the right side of her neck.
The woman stated Thurstin called her a snitch as he was arrested for driving while intoxicated recently. She told the sergeant Thurstin grabbed her by the arms in the living room, but she got away from him and went into the kitchen.
“I grabbed the candle that was lit,” she told the sergeant. “I blew out the candle and threw it at him. ... I don’t think it got him.”
The sergeant did not see the candle, but saw dried candle wax on the head part of the couch and on the floor. The woman then stated Thurstin had her up against the wall and hit her with “a couple punches to the face,” the complaint stated. He also grabbed her by the neck and was “choking, which turned into an arm bar,” where she almost passed out, the complaint stated. The woman stated Thurstin was antagonizing her all night and she kind of knew something was going to happen. The sergeant observed a bruise on the lateral portion of her upper left arm. The sergeant advised the woman he would like to get a taped statement and went to get his tape recorder, but when he returned with the recorder, she stated she was scared that he or his family would come after her and she refused to provide a recorded statement. She asked if she could give the statement the following day, indicating she would be feeling better the next day and she made a reference to her face being messed up.
The sergeant left the apartment and transported Thurstin to the Crow Wing County Jail. While driving to the jail, Thurstin used vulgar and derogatory language and made racist remarks to the sergeant. While at the jail, the sergeant took a taped statement from Thurstin after reading him the Miranda rights. Thurstin stated he had video on his phone and he began playing one video, which showed them arguing, but nothing physical. Thurstin began playing a second one and then the phone died. A portion of the second video did not show anything physical occurring, but did show the woman on the floor and Thurstin standing up near her.
The next day, the sergeant went back to interview the woman but she was again worried and scared because Thurstin was smiling in his mugshot. She told the sergeant she was nervous to make a statement because she feared Thurstin would seek revenge and she feared leaving her residence.
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According to court documents, Thurstin was convicted of gross misdemeanor domestic assault in September 2011.
During Thurstin’s initial appearance, the judge set unconditional bond at $50,000 or $25,000 with conditions. Thurstin continued to be held in the Crow Wing County Jail as of Friday. If Thurstin posts conditional bail, conditions would include he have no contact with the victim, he makes all court appearances and he does not possess any alcohol, controlled substances or firearms.
A future court hearing has not been scheduled.
