NEW ULM — A 37-year-old New Ulm man accused of choking a woman several times and nailing a door shut faces two felony charges in Brown County District Court.

Two felony domestic assault charges, one by strangulation, plus interfering with an emergency phone, call were filed in court Monday against Travis D. Mellen, 203 S. Minnesota St.

The alleged assault happened Sunday.

According to court documents, New Ulm Police were dispatched to 203 S. Minnesota St. after Mullen allegedly nailed a door closed on the alleged victim.

At the scene, a woman told police that she and her boyfriend, Mellen, got into an argument, and he assaulted her, choking her several times, throwing her on a bed and on the ground. He then reportedly nailed a door shut and took her phone so she couldn’t contact anyone.

In an apartment, the woman showed police a door that she said was nailed shut. There was damage to both sides of the door that could be from a nail, then pressure being applied to open it. There was a nail sticking out of the door frame, and damage that seemed to match the woman’s description.

The woman said she and Mellen were drinking in the apartment and he got upset.

The woman said Mellen threw her around the room and nailed her in it. After getting out of the room, she got to her phone, and Mellen left, she said.

The woman told police she was sore all over from the incident.

Dispatch later advised they got a 911 call from a witness stating that Mellen was in the apartment.

Police later were called by dispatch advising that another witness called and said they heard footsteps in the apartment. Officers returned to the apartment, found items in the front of it, removed them and found Mellen hiding inside.

Mellen told police he didn’t touch the woman and she made it all up. Mellen said she came with her ex-boyfriend, he asked her to leave, and she refused.

Mellen got upset at times, punching a table twice during the interview. Police smelled alcohol on Mellen but he refused preliminary breath test.

He was convicted of third-degree assault in Blue Earth County on Dec. 10, 2012, and fifth-degree assault in Blue Earth County on Oct. 10, 2011.

Mellen’s unconditional bail was set at $30,000, or $5,000 with conditions. A court appearance was set for 11:30 a.m, Oct. 7.

Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.