Police: Local man arrested for attempting to strangle local woman on several occasions

A 40-year-old local man was recently arrested after police say he attempted to strangle a local woman during multiple domestic violence incidents that occurred in Pocatello and Chubbuck.

Michael John Chapman, of Chubbuck, has been charged with two counts of attempted strangulation and two counts of domestic violence, during three separate incidents occurring between December 2023 and July, according to police and court records the Idaho State Journal recently obtained.

The first incident allegedly occurred on Dec. 17, 2023, and resulted in Chapman facing one count each of felony domestic violence and attempted strangulation charges, police said.

The victim told officers that Chapman had been physically abusing her for a while now in front of the presence of their children, the report says.

The victim said that during the physical altercation, Chapman placed his hands around her throat and attempted to strangle her, which caused her to almost lose consciousness, police said.

The victim had bruises on both sides of her jaw line, police said.

Chapman was arrested and taken to the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello, however, charges were dropped following a preliminary hearing held later in December.

Those charges have since been filed again, court records show.

Police in January received a report that Chapman abused the woman again, striking her several times on the top of the head as well as her arms as she attempted to defend herself, according to police. The victim had bruises on her arms as well as bumps on the top of her head, police said.

It’s unclear why Chapman was not charged with felony domestic violence in connection to this incident in January, however, he was charged for this incident earlier this month, court records show.

On July 28, officers received information that Chapman abused the woman again, punching her several times, slapping her and attempting to strangle her, the report says.

Officers interviewed two individuals who witnessed the incident and corroborated the victim’s story, the report says.

Chapman was later interviewed and declined to speak with officers. He was subsequently arrested.

Chapman appeared in front of 6th District Magistrate Judge Bryan Murray for an arraignment hearing on Aug. 27, during which his bond was set at $25,000.

He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 9 that will involve local prosecutors attempting to prove there is enough evidence to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial.

If convicted of all the felony charges filed against him, he faces up to 50 years in prison and a fine of up to $120,000.