'Heavily Intoxicated' Man Allegedly Strangled, Threatened to Kill Woman in SLP Home

A 24-year-old Cokato, MN man is charged with domestic assault by strangulation after allegedly attacking a woman and threatening to kill her inside of a St. Louis Park residence.

Jeffrey Earl Chapman allegedly got into an altercation with the victim on the evening of April 5, when the victim reports he attempted to strangle her and threatened to throw her down a staircase. A criminal complaint reports Chapman was intoxicated at the time of the incident, then became violent when the victim did not know where his glasses were.

Chapman reportedly threw a 40-ounce beer at a projection television set, causing some damage to the corner of the unit. He then grabbed the victim from behind as she started to walk away, wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her back into a living room.

When the victim attempted to make a phone call for help, Chapman allegedly took the phone from he rand disconnected the call. The victim then tried to remove a screen window in the kitchen to flee, but reported Chapman wrapped his hands around her neck tightly enough to cause her vision to fade in and out.

When a friend of the victim came into the apartment, the victim was reportedly crying at the base of a flight of stairs, holding her neck with both bands. The witness told police she asked Chapman what was going on, to which he replied, "If she can hit like a man, she better be able to be hit back like a man." Shortly thereafter, Chapman allegedly appeared to "go crazy," ripping off his sweatshirt and running from the residence.

Chapman returned to the residence a short time later, at which point officers report he appeared to be "heavily intoxicated." He reportedly told police he was angry because the victim would not tell him who she was speaking with on the phone, so be punched a closet. Police report he claimed nothing physical happened, but after the witness arrived he left the residence to "cool down."

A juvenile who was present at the time of the incident corroborated the victim's report, according to police.

Chapman faces up to 3 years in prison and $5,000 in fines for the felony level charge.

Chapman was released from the Hennepin County Jail on $5,000 bail on Tuesday, April 9. He's scheduled for an omnibus hearing in Hennepin County Court at 10 a.m. on May 9.

Like St. Louis Park Patch on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our daily newsletter