ROCKLAND, Maine — A St. George man will spend 10 months in prison after admitting he choked a woman last year.
James A. Howard, 45, was sentenced Feb. 23 in Knox County Superior Court to four years in prison with all but 10 months suspended for aggravated assault, felony domestic violence assault and obstructing a report of a crime. The domestic assault charge was elevated to felony level because he had a prior domestic violence conviction.
Howard also was ordered to be on probation for three years upon his release.
He was arrested Dec. 5 after an officer from the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 hang-up call. The victim met the officer at the door holding a clump of hair Howard allegedly pulled out of her head, according to the police report. She also told the officer Howard had put his hands around her neck and was choking her. There were red marks on the victim’s neck. The report also indicates Howard grabbed and threw the victim’s phone so she could not speak to police.