A man who said his hand slipped when he accidentally choked a woman long enough to make her see stars is in jail facing two felonies.

Fredrick D. Markley, 65, is charged with attempted strangulation and domestic battery, both felonies that carry maximum penalties of 15 years and 10 years in prison, respectively.

Coeur d’Alene Magistrate Clark Peterson set the bail amount at $75,000 Monday at Markley’s first court appearance. Peterson said Markley’s crimes were disturbing enough to warrant high bail.

“It’s extraordinarily troubling and violent and oppressive,” Peterson said.

Authorities were called to the Coeur d’Alene Casino early Monday after witnesses said a man in the parking lot was choking a woman.

Kootenai County deputies arrived at 1:54 a.m. and spoke to witnesses who said Markley and a woman were inside a vehicle in the parking lot when the fight broke out. The woman attempted to escape and fell out of an open door, they said. Markley allegedly climbed over the vehicle’s center console, grabbed the woman and choked her, threatening to kill her, according to a deputy’s report.

“She began seeing stars and stated that (Markley) said, ‘I’ll kill you bitch’ while choking her,” according to the report.

The woman fled into the casino, and when deputies arrived Markley told them that his hand slipped as he fought with the woman, and accidently held her neck for more than a minute.

Markley’s request for lower bail was denied despite his ties to the area.

“I have lived here all my life,” he said. “I’m not going to flee.”

Prosecutors said Markley didn’t take responsibility for the alleged act, instead displaying a cavalier attitude.

Peterson ordered a no-contact order and set a probable cause hearing within two weeks.