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Police: Woman choked boyfriend

KAYE THORNBRUGH | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 9 months AGO
by KAYE THORNBRUGH
Kaye Thornbrugh is a second-generation Kootenai County resident who has been with the Coeur d’Alene Press for six years. She primarily covers Kootenai County’s government, as well as law enforcement, the legal system and North Idaho College. | December 8, 2020 1:00 AM

RATHDRUM — A woman is facing two felony charges after she allegedly choked her boyfriend.

Jennifer A. Burg, 38, is charged with domestic battery and attempted strangulation.

Police responded Sunday evening to a Rathdrum residence where a man who identified himself as Burg’s boyfriend said the pair had argued after he went to her house to retrieve some mail.

Burg reportedly let the man into the residence but would not allow him to get his mail that had been delivered to her address. He said he took the mail key and began to walk away when Burg threw him against a sliding glass door and put him in an “arm bar” with her arm across his throat.

The man told police Burg is trained in martial arts and holds a brown belt. He said she had been violent with him previously.

The man said he broke free and ran outside, but Burg jumped on his back and choked him from behind. He said he couldn’t breathe as he attempted to crawl away and tried to yell for the neighbors to call 911.

Police said the man had red marks and bruises on his neck. His knees were also discolored, consistent with kneeling on pavement, according to court documents.

When questioned by police, Burg said the man pushed his way inside her house and stole her keys. She reportedly said she grabbed his hand in an attempt to get her keys and followed him outside to the mailbox.

Burg allegedly said she grabbed the back of the man’s shirt, which put pressure on his neck, after which he fell to the ground and she fell on top of him.

Police arrested Burg at the scene.

Judge Clark Peterson ordered Monday that Burg be held on $5,000 bail and issued a no contact order between Burg and the man.

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