Stillwater Man Choked, Threw Girlfriend: Police

STILLWATER, MN — A Stillwater man is accused of strangling his girlfriend outside his apartment earlier this month. Craig Alan Bruestel, 54, was charged with domestic assault by strangulation in Washington County.

On Oct. 6 just after 2 a.m, police responded to the area of Bayberry Avenue and Myrtle Street West in Stillwater on a report of a physical domestic altercation. An officer at the scene found a woman crying in her vehicle.

The woman told police she was parked in the driveway at her boyfriend's apartment when she saw her boyfriend get dropped off earlier that morning. Authorities identified the man as Bruestel.

Afraid of Bruestel, the woman held a hammer while she asked about her dogs, police said. Bruestel then got upset, grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her down — and against the siding of the home — according to investigators.

He then grabbed her neck with two hands and choked her for about 30 seconds before throwing her to the ground again, the criminal complaint states. The officer at the scene — who reported knowing the couple from prior incidents — said he noticed scratches and swelling on the woman's neck.

The woman said she thought Bruestel tried to kill her, according to police. Fresh blood was found on Bruestel, who told police he never touched or pushed the woman, the complaint states.

Read the entire criminal complaint below:

Sign Up For Patch's Daily Newsletter and Breaking News Alerts in Your Neighborhood

Image via Shutterstock