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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Fort McCoy man jailed after allegedly choking female victim, threatening to kill her

A 43-year-old Fort McCoy man was arrested after he allegedly placed a female victim in a chokehold and threatened to kill her.

On Tuesday, two Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a local residence in reference to a domestic battery incident. At the residence, one of the deputies made contact with the female victim who stated that Nicholas James Ping had choked her shortly before the deputies arrived on scene.

Nicholas James Ping
Nicholas James Ping

The victim advised that Ping had become upset with her for reasons that she was unable to recall. According to the victim, Ping placed his forearm around her neck from behind and began to choke her.

The victim told the deputy that she believed Ping was going to kill her. She recalled him yelling at her while he was choking her, though she was unable to remember what he allegedly said during the incident.

Shortly before the victim called 9-1-1, she stated that she drove away from the residence in her van. Ping allegedly entered another vehicle that belonged to the victim, and she stated that Ping began to follow her. When she pulled into the parking lot of the local fire department, she stated that Ping stopped following her and drove away.

The victim advised that she returned to the incident location where she waited for law enforcement to arrive.

The deputy observed redness around the victim’s neck and small scratches that were around her lips. While the deputy was reviewing paperwork with the victim, she remembered that she had video cameras set up inside her home for security purposes.

The victim handed the deputy her cellphone which contained video footage of the incident. According to the MCSO report, the deputy watched this footage and observed Ping as he grabbed the victim from behind and placed her into a chokehold.

The MCSO report indicated that the victim began to scream, and the deputy overheard Ping yell at the victim to tell him where she was going or else “he would (expletive) kill her.” When Ping said this, the deputy saw him tense “extremely hard” around the victim’s neck, and the “extreme squeezing” also altered the victim’s scream.

Ping’s whereabouts were initially unknown, but he was later located, arrested, and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held without bond. He is facing a felony charge for domestic battery by strangulation.

A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.