Rathdrum man charged with felony domestic violence

RATHDRUM — A man is facing felony charges after police say he attacked his wife and punched her child.

The 46-year-old Rathdrum man is charged with attempted strangulation, injury to a child, and two counts of domestic battery, all felonies.

Police responded July 23 to a Rathdrum residence where a woman said her husband had threatened her before locking her out of their home.

The couple reportedly married about a year ago. Ever since, the woman said, her husband’s physical abuse escalated.

She told police she believed she would die if “something didn’t change,” according to court documents.

She said her husband had choked her to the point of unconsciousness on multiple occasions.

The woman’s 9-year-old son described to police an incident earlier this year when he said he saw his stepfather choking his mother with both hands.

When the boy attempted to intervene, he said his stepfather punched him in the head, hard enough to leave a large lump.

Police reportedly reviewed the woman’s medical records, which documented injures she said were sustained from her husband’s attacks.

A judge issued a $100,000 warrant for his arrest Aug. 4.

He was taken into custody the following day.

The man reportedly has previous misdemeanor domestic violence convictions out of Spokane County.

The Press is not naming the suspect at this time because that would reveal the identity of the victim. The Press tries to protect the privacy of victims.