PONDERAY — A Ponderay man is facing five felony charges for allegedly beating and choking two children.

The charges against John Donald Christopher Strange emerged during a Ponderay Police investigation in a felony domestic violence case, according to Bonner County Magistrate Court records.

Strange, 36, is being held at the Bonner County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail. A preliminary hearing in both cases is set for Wednesday.

Strange is accused of throwing an 11-year-old against a wall and choking her, a criminal complaint alleges. He’s further accused of smacking and choking an 8-year-old. The alleged abuse took place between September of last year and February of this year.

Strange was arrested on Feb. 7 on charges of attempted strangulation and domestic violence resulting in traumatic injury. Strange is also accused of using his hand to violate a woman during the incident, according to court documents.

The woman told police that Strange threatened to kill her while choking her and covering her mouth with his hands, a Ponderay Police affidavit said. Strange told police that he blacked out and said he could not recall what transpired during the incident, the affidavit said.

Strange is charged with injury to a child at the felony level, which is punishable by a one- to 10-year prison term. Charging elements hold that Strange subjected the children to great bodily harm by inflicting unjustifiable physical pain or mental suffering.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.