Man jailed for trying to choke wife

POST FALLS — A 35-year-old Post Falls man was arrested Sunday for allegedly attempting to strangle his wife in front of the couple's three children.

Shawn Timothy Brannon was booked into Kootenai County jail on felony charges of attempted strangulation, domestic battery in the presence of children, obstructing and two counts of violation of a no-contact order.

He was being held on Monday on a combined bond of $35,000.

Officers responded to the 1100 block of North Frederick after the couple's 9-year-old boy called 911 to report a domestic dispute, according to a police report.

When police arrived, they heard and saw through a bedroom window Brannon screaming profanities and aggressively walking toward her on the bed.

Police said Brannon allegedly had shoved his 33-year-old wife multiple times and held a pillow over her face trying to suffocate her.

"She was sitting there (on the bed) when officers showed up," Capt. Greg McLean said, adding that she was not seriously injured.

After officers entered the unlocked home, Brannon allegedly refused to cooperate and got into a tussle with one of the officers. A second officer deployed a Taser to Brannon's chest to gain control of him.

"He refused put his hands behind his back," McLean said.

There were three children between the ages of 2 and 9 at the residence during the incident.

The couple has been married 10 years, according to police.

Brannon has a history of domestic violence in Oklahoma, police said.

He was also booked in the local jail in April 2011 for domestic assault.