PARIS — A Cornish man was charged with domestic violence assault and aggravated assault in a case where a woman was strangled until she passed out, according to an affidavit.

Tyler D. Smith, 25, was charged in the incident, which occurred in Hiram. In the affidavit by Sgt. Matthew Baker of the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office, Smith is quoted telling Baker it wasn’t the first time he did it.

A couple of weeks ago, he said, he strangled the same woman and “thought that he had killed her but after awhile he said that she started coughing and breathing and eventually woke up,” the affidavit said.

Smith told Baker that he and the woman had been fighting for weeks, and “things were escalating,” the affidavit said.

At Smith’s hearing Wednesday in South Paris District Court, attorney Maurice Porter asked for $500 cash bail. He said Smith has no previous criminal record and that there wasn’t probable cause for the aggravated assault charge, which requires a substantial risk of death.

Assistant District Attorney Richard Beauchesne argued that the assault charge was serious and that death was possible. “When you strangle someone into unconsciousness, they may wake up or they may not wake up.”

Judge Paul Cote read over the affidavit and set Smith’s bail at $2,500, as requested by Beauchesne. He also gave Smith the options of a $10,000 property bail or a contract with Maine Pretrial Services.

treaves@sunjournal.com

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