AUGUSTA — A 74-year-old Randolph man was charged with domestic violence assault during an initial court appearance Wednesday, after police arrested him Tuesday for allegedly strangling a woman.
The man, John H. Crocker, allegedly had strangled the woman until she had to pretend she passed out, wrote Maine State Trooper Niles Krech, the arresting officer, in an affidavit. Krech initially charged Crocker with aggravated assault with no option for bail.
But during Crocker’s arraignment at Capital Judicial Center on Wednesday, Justice Robert Mullen reduced his charge to domestic violence assault and set his bail at $1,000 with conditions, including that he can have no contact with the victim.
Crocker’s next appearance in court will be a dispositional conference on Dec. 13.