NEW ULM — Three felony domestic assault charges were filed against a 44-year-old New Ulm man accused of strangulation of a woman at the Colonial Inn on June 19, 2021.

Domestic assault-by-strangulation and two other domestic assault counts were filed against Christopher R. Baldwin, 1315 N. Broadway (Colonial Inn), New Ulm in Brown County District Court July 16. A first appearance was set for 8:30 a.m., Aug. 24.

According to the complaint, New Ulm Police were dispatched to the Colonial Inn at 9:26 p.m. June 19 after a a woman yelled for someone to call the police.

A day later, at 9:38 p.m. June 20, the Brown County dispatcher transferred a phone call to a police officer. The caller identified herself as the woman who wanted to talk about what happened the previous night. She said she and her boyfriend were staying at the Colonial Inn together for the last few days before he got aggressive and they got into an argument because she wanted to leave.

At the Colonial Inn the previous night, the woman said Baldwin took a bottle of water and splashed it in her eye, causing her pain. She said they continued to argue, she opened a door and yelled to a lady outside to call police.

The woman said Baldwin brought her back into the room and “bear hugged” her, placed his hands over her mouth and nose, preventing her from breathing to the point where she thought she was going to pass out or die. She said he held her in the bathroom for several minutes, then let her go and she grabbed some items and left.

The woman sent several photos of arm bruising to police, some of which she said happened June 18 when she said Baldwin grabbed her arms.

Police contacted the reporting party from the previous night who said the woman opened her room door and screamed: “Help, call the police” before the man grabbed her and brought her back into the room. The witness identified the man as Baldwin and said he waved to her and said, “Never mind, don’t call.”

The witness said she heard screaming inside the room for about five minutes, that the woman left before police arrived and that she told her she was injured in the incident.

Baldwin’s criminal history showed convictions for felony domestic assault by strangulation on Dec. 27, 2011 and a misdemeanor violation of an harassment restraining order on April 25, 2018.