Jamel Barnes

A 32-year-old Butler man is accused of strangling a pregnant woman twice on Thanksgiving Day, Butler City Police said in a news release.

Jamel Barnes was arrested and charged with felony strangulation and misdemeanors simple assault and resisting arrest following a reported domestic dispute at 204 Kaufman Drive at 2:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the news release.

Upon later returning to the Kaufman Drive residence, he was charged with felony burglary, strangulation and intimidation of a witness and misdemeanors simple assault and terroristic threats, police said.

During the earlier incident, police said Barnes was uncooperative and appeared intoxicated. Police said they determined Barnes had struck and strangled a woman who was nine months pregnant.

Barnes was taken into custody. At the police station, police said Barnes became unruly and resisted officers.

Barnes was then taken to the Butler County Prison. He was released after he was arraigned and given unsecured bond, the news release said.

Upon his release, Barnes returned to Kaufman Drive, where he forced his way into the residence and again assaulted the pregnant woman, police said.

During the second incident, Barnes struck the woman in the face and forced her back onto the bed in her bedroom, where he strangled her to the point that she could not breathe, police said.

Barnes told the woman, “I'm gonna kill you,” and “I hope you and the baby die,” police said in the news release.

The woman got her keys and other child and she fled the residence to go directly to the police station and reported the incident, police said.

Barnes was arrested and again taken to the Butler County Prison, where he waits arraignment. Butler County probation placed a detainer on Barnes, the news release said.