By: Peter Christian
MISSOULA COUNTY, MT – 50 year-old Dennis Kline is in the Missoula County Jail on $100,000 bond after allegedly beating and strangling a woman to the point where she suffered a stroke and had to be hospitalized.
At his Missoula Justice Court appearance on Thursday, Deputy Prosecutor Selene Koepke outlined the charges to substitute Justice of the Peach Traci Corbin Rhodes.
“The defendant is charged with aggravated assault and two counts of partner or family member assault,” began Koepke. “He struck the victim in the face, head and chest multiple times, threatened her with an 18-inch wooden bat, and strangled her multiple times. Your honor, the victim reported that the last strangulation attack resulted in a loss of consciousness and a loss of bladder function. While he was strangling her, he told the victim he was going to kill her.”
Koepke told the judge about the dangers that strangulation poses to the victim.
“Your honor, research into strangulation shows that a loss of control of bodily functions means that the brain is shutting down and death is likely to occur within minutes,” she said. “The victim exhibited multiple signs of strangulation including disorientation, red marks on her neck, petechiae in her eyes, swelling of the throat and tongue and difficulty breathing.”
Koepke told the judge the victim suffered complications after the defendant’s arrest.
“Further, your honor, this afternoon, the State was notified that the victim was again transported to the hospital via ambulance, as she was exhibiting signs of a stroke,” she said. “These are again symptoms of strangulation and they can last a very long time. These are all indicators of the severity if this event, and the danger that this defendant poses to the victim.”
Koepke went on to list Kline’s extensive criminal record, and asked that, if released on bond, that he have no contact with the victim.
Judge Corbin Rhodes set bond at $100,000, and remanded Kline back to the Missoula County Jail for his next court appearance later this month.
Article Source: $100,00 Bond for Man Who Strangled Woman – She Suffered Stroke