Greenwood police arrested a man they said had choked and confined his girlfriend and beat a man he claimed she was cheating on him with.
Alexander Jonathan Book, 26, 7831 Cedar Brook Drive, Southport, was arrested on charges of criminal confinement, strangulation, domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, battery by body waste, all felonies, and domestic battery, a misdemeanor.
Book, his girlfriend of four months and a male friend were at a house in the 100 block of Totten Drive in Greenwood about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday when Book became upset with his girlfriend and started accusing her of cheating on him with the friend who was there, the woman told police.
When the woman went to the bathroom, Book followed her and knocked on the door. She let him in, he shut the door and began choking her, causing her to almost lose consciousness and making it hard for her to breathe, she told police.
He also slammed her head against the mirror several times, causing pain, and would not let her leave the bathroom when she tried to get away, according to a Greenwood police report.
He also repeatedly spit in her face, she told police.
When she finally broke away, Book told the woman and her male friend they needed to leave, the report said.
He followed them outside, where he grabbed the woman and pulled her close to him, preventing her from leaving. When the friend tried to pull Book away from her, Book turned and started hitting him in the face and body, according to the police report.
The woman said she tried to pull Book off of her friend, but Book knocked her down repeatedly, causing her head to strike the curb, she told police.
The two men continued fighting in the street until police arrived, the report said.
When officers arrived, Book ran in the house, police said.
The male victim had blood pouring from his mouth and nose and requested a medic. He told police he was in pain and not sure why this happened. At least one of his teeth was visibly displaced and profusely bleeding, according to the report.
Book said he did not want to speak with officers beyond stating that he was involved in a fight in front of the house, but he ended it, the report said.
Officers could see blood on Book’s left hand, the report said.
Police arrested Book and took him for a medical evaluation, then to the Johnson County jail, according to the report.
Book recently served a sentence at the Marion County jail for domestic battery charges and violating probation. He was released about four months ago, court records show.
