A Fort McCoy man was arrested for allegedly waking up and strangling his girlfriend for not showing up at his residence as she had agreed.
Steven T. Cano Jr., 43, of NE 212th Lane, was charged with domestic battery by strangulation after the incident, which happened Tuesday night at the victim’s residence on NE 227th Place. Cano also was charged with failure to appear in court on previous charges of not having a valid motorcycle endorsement or motor vehicle registration.
A neighbor of the victim who called 911 told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy the victim came to his residence asking for help. He said she was limping and holding her side wearing one shoe, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim told the deputy she and Cano cohabitate between their two residences. She said she was asleep in her home when Cano came over and was upset because she hadn’t gone to his residence as she agreed. The victim said Cano knocked over a floor fan in the living room. She said she placed her dog in his kennel and asked Cano to leave, the report said.
The victim said the argument became physical and Cano grabbed her by the throat, restricting her air flow, and said, “I will kill you.” She said she struck Cano and he let go of her throat, threw her to the floor and kicked her head. The victim said Cano followed her into her bedroom, where he again grabbed her by the throat, restricting her air flow, and slammed her into the wall, according to the report.
The victim said she struck Cano again, and he let go and left the residence. The deputy observed and photographed the victim’s injuries, which included a scratch and redness on the right side of her neck, and injuries to both of her elbows. The deputy also observed a broken black floor fan in the living room and an indentation and hole in the bedroom wall, the report said.
Deputies spoke to Cano at his residence, where he denied going to the victim’s residence and causing her injuries. He was placed under arrest and taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released Friday on $3,000 bond. He’s scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on Sept. 12 for the failure to appear charges and Sept. 24 for the domestic battery charge.