A 41-year-old Bellefontaine man is facing felony charges after police say he assaulted and strangled a woman during a domestic violence incident late Monday night.
According to the Bellefontaine Police Department, officers were dispatched just before midnight Monday to an apartment on West Williams Avenue after the victim fled the residence and called 911 from a nearby location.
Officers reported the victim was visibly shaken, with trembling hands, a shaky voice, and difficulty walking without support.
She told police she was afraid Terrance Cooper would find out she had called 911.
According to the report, the victim said Cooper returned to the residence intoxicated and became violent during an argument.
The victim told officers Cooper slapped her in the face, pushed her to the ground, threw her down a flight of stairs, and repeatedly grabbed her by the throat.
In a written statement, she alleged Cooper picked her up by the throat, slammed her to the floor, dragged her down the stairs, then pulled her back up the stairs by her shirt collar and necklace, making it difficult for her to breathe.
She also told police Cooper threatened to kill her in front of her daughter.
Officers entered the apartment with the victim’s permission and arrested Cooper inside the residence.
Police reported Cooper became loud and belligerent while being escorted to a patrol vehicle.
While documenting the incident, officers observed bruising around the victim’s neck, along with injuries to her elbow, legs, feet, knee, and nose.
The victim declined medical treatment multiple times.
Based on the victim’s statement and visible injuries, officers upgraded the charge from domestic violence to strangulation, a felony offense under Ohio law.
Cooper was lodged in the Logan County Jail.
According to the report, Cooper has previous felony convictions, including criminal damaging in 2007 and felonious assault in 2008.
