A Whitefish man has denied allegations that he put his girlfriend in a headlock until she passed out.
Jaymes Dean Leduc pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal endangerment, a felony, and criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, in Flathead County District Court on Feb. 5.
According to court documents, Leduc and his girlfriend were having an argument on Oct. 8, 2014 at a residence on Lupfer Avenue in Whitefish. The disagreement escalated and Leduc grabbed the woman and strangled her. As he cut off her oxygen, Leduc asked if the woman “wanted to die today,” prosecutors claim. Leduc then put his girlfriend in a headlock, which caused her to lose consciousness.
After she regained consciousness, the woman ran outside to her vehicle and locked the doors. Leduc ran after her and used a rock to break out all of the windows of the vehicle. Leduc fled the scene when the woman called the police.
Leduc remains in custody at the Flathead County Detention Center.
If convicted, Leduc could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $50,000. A trial has been set for July.