Man accused of choking woman in cell phone dispute
Published: July 3, 2012
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ST. CROIX - Police arrested a man Sunday on assault charges after a woman reported that he choked her and assaulted her with a knife.
Santiago Felix Encarnacion, 49, of Sion Farm was arrested at 10:20 p.m. and charged with third-degree assault and possession of a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence.
The woman reported that she came home from the beach, and Encarnacion accused her of stealing his cellular phone, according to police. She said that she told him she did not know what he was talking about and did not have his phone, and she walked away.
The woman said she was sitting on the steps of the house when Encarnacion came up behind her and held her in a choke hold, police said. She said he held her so tightly that she could not breathe and thought she would lose consciousness, police said. The woman told police when Encarnacion refused to let go of her, she grabbed a nearby glass bottle and hit him in the head with it, and he let go of the choke hold.
She said he then grabbed her by her hair and dragged her outside into the street and put a knife to her side and threatened to kill her, police said. The woman told police that a neighbor came to her rescue, and Encarnacion let go of her and locked himself inside the house.
When officers arrived at the home, they found the woman with red bruises on her head and lacerations to her left side and her finger, according to police.
Encarnacion waived his right to remain silent and told police that the woman was sitting on the step and he came up behind her and gave her a hug and squeezed her. He said she became angry and hit him with a bottle, causing injuries, police said.
Encarnacion's bail was set at $5,000.
Encarnacion is scheduled to be arraigned July 18.
- Contact reporter Fiona Stokes at 714-9149 or email fstokes@dailynews.vi.
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