Belle Fourche man charged with strangulation

A Belle Fourche man has been bound over to District Court on a charge of strangulation after allegedly attempting to prevent his girlfriend from leaving the scene of an argument.

According to court reports, at 1 a.m. on August 20, a Crook County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a report of an assault at a residence near Carlile.

Dispatch advised that a juvenile female subject had been assaulted by her boyfriend and had then driven to her parents’ house in South Dakota. The victim’s mother then allegedly took her to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office to report the event, dispatch advised, after which she would transport her to hospital.

The victim was interviewed at the Butte County Sheriff’s Office and allegedly said that she had begun arguing with Joshua Mehrer at approximately 9:30 p.m. At some point, she stated, the argument became a physical fight.

The victim claimed that, when she tried to leave, Mehrer physically restrained her and at one point grabbed her by the neck or throat with both hands and squeezed hard enough to leave marks. These marks were observed and photographed.

The Butte County deputy stated that, based on his observations, the victim appeared to have been “beaten badly”. The victim was able to get to her vehicle and leave at around 10 p.m.

When interviewed at the property, Mehrer allegedly admitted to the argument and that it became physical. However, he presented a different version of the events, telling the deputy that he was the one trying to leave and that the victim took his vehicle keys.

The deputy observed marks on Mehrer’s lip and hand and that he was very dirty and his pants were ripped. In his report, he states that this appeared to be consistent with being in a physical fight and at some point being on the ground.

Mehrer was arrested and searched. The deputy located his vehicle keys in his pants pocket; when he asked about Mehrer’s previous statement that the victim had taken them, he responded, “I got them back”.

Mehrer faces a felony charge of strangulation of a household member, with a maximum penalty of ten years of incarceration, and misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment and domestic battery.