A 26-year-old Brainerd man faces criminal charges after allegedly throwing a woman on the ground, kicking her in the face and attempting to strangle her twice.
Jes Keven Johnson was charged July 23 in Crow Wing County District Court for two felonies of third-degree assault and domestic assault by strangulation, and misdemeanor domestic assault. Judge Dale A. Wolf found probable cause to detain him and set conditional bail at $10,000 and $25,000 without conditions. As of Monday, July 29, Johnson had not posted bond and was in Crow Wing County Jail. His next court hearing is set Aug. 20.
According to the criminal complaint, Brainerd officers were called at 4:34 a.m. July 21 to a possible physical domestic assault on the 200 block of West Laurel Street. A woman called stating she heard a female voice shouting for help and heard her scream, possibly at someone else “to get off of her.” While en route, the Crow Wing County dispatcher stated there was a second caller who said she saw a male punch a female before possibly dragging her inside one of the apartments.
Upon arrival, a Brainerd officer knocked on the door several times until a man, identified as Johnson, answered the door. The officer was familiar with Johnson due to previous law enforcement contacts.
The victim told police Johnson, whom she knows, threw her to the ground, got on top of her, put his right hand around her throat and tightened his grip to the point it was hard to breathe and talk. She fought back, she told police, admitting to scratching, hitting and even at one point biting him.
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The victim said they began rolling around in the grass and at one time she was on top of him trying to get away before Johnson rolled her back onto the ground, pinned her shoulders to the ground and attempted to strangle her another time. According to the victim, the second time Johnson strangled her, she started to lose consciousness. She said her vision began to blur like she was seeing stars, it was hard to breathe and she wasn't able to talk or say anything.
The woman was able to get Johnson off of her and at that time, Johnson kicked her twice to the side of the face.
At one point, Johnson pulled a razor blade from his pocket and had it in his hand, the woman stated. She was able to get the razor blade away from Johnson and threw it into the neighbor's yard.
The officer returned to the apartment later that day to talk with the woman about her injuries. It appeared the woman had blood vessels ruptured in her eye from being kicked to the face; swelling around the eye; a hurt throat; a bruise on the lower portion of her neck and another one underneath her chin; bruises on her right arm; and an upper chest area sore to the touch.
