POCATELLO —Two local men were recently arrested for attempting to strangle women during separate incidents.
Michael David Moutray, 24, of Pocatello, has been charged with one count of attempted strangulation following an incident on July 5, according to police and court records the Idaho State Journal recently obtained.
Pocatello police were dispatched to a a Pocatello home for the report of a disturbance between a man and a woman, police said.
Upon arrival, officers came into contact with the woman and immediately noticed that she had visible finger marks and redness on her neck and a rash on her left leg, the report says.
The woman told officers that she and Moutray got into a verbal argument that turned physical and ended with him kicking in the door to her bedroom, grabbing her by the neck with both hands and pushing her against the wall, police said. The woman said she could not speak or breathe and struck Moutray twice to get him to let go, which caused him to push her to the ground, grab her by the hair and shirt and slam her head into the ground, the report says.
The victim then went outside of residence and phoned her mother but Moutray followed her and tried to take her phone away, grabbing her and dragging her across the ground resulting in the road rash on her leg, police said.
Moutray was then charged with attempted strangulation, arrested and booked inside the Bannock County Jail in Pocatello.
He appeared in front of 6th District Magistrate Judge David Hooste for an arraignment hearing on July 8, during which his bond was set at $25,000.
He is due back in court on July 22 for a preliminary hearing that will involve local prosecutors attempting to prove there is enough evidence against him to elevate the case from the magistrate to district court level for trial.
If convicted of the felony attempted strangulation charge, he faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
Matthew Joshua Gulas, 39, of Pocatello, has been charged with attempted strangulation following an incident on July 8, court records show.
Pocatello police were dispatched to a Pocatello home around 7:05 p.m. for the report of a disturbance between a man and a woman, according to a police report the Journal recently obtained.
The woman said that Gulas entered her home uninvited while she was getting ready for work, punched her in the face, grabbed her by the neck and threw her down on the bed, the report says.
Gulas then held her by the neck for approximately 10 seconds while telling her he was going to kill her friends and gouge out her eyes, police said.
Officers observed redness and swelling on both sides of the victim’s face, the report says.
When interviewed, Gulas said that he was invited into the home and that it was the victim who threw him onto the bed, the report says.
Gulas was then charged, arrested and booked inside the Bannock County Jail.
He appeared in front of 6th District Judge Rick Carnaroli for an arraignment hearing on July 9, during which his bond was set at $10,000.
He is due back in court on July 22 for a preliminary hearing.
If convicted of the felony attempted strangulation charge, he faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.
Most Popular
Comments / 0