A Summerfield man was arrested after allegedly using an Alexa cord to strangle his girlfriend.
Deputies conducted a welfare check at an undisclosed Marion County residence Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. They tried to make contact with the welfare check victim, also the girlfriend of 28-year-old Shawn Ray Christopher Brokering, but they were initially unable to speak with anyone.
One of the deputies called the welfare check reportee, who was the victim’s boss. He stated she was scheduled to work on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. She called out sick the first three days due to being in the hospital, so he called her to see if she was alright, the report said.
The reportee asked the victim what happened, and she stated Brokering choked her, which was why she was in the hospital. She spoke quietly, and he suspected she was trying to keep Brokering from hearing her talking to him. She then told him to please not call the police, the report said.
The deputies went back to the residence and eventually met with Brokering and the victim. They advised that they were both sleeping and did not hear the deputies knock the first time. One deputy went to speak with the victim while the other talked to Brokering in the driveway, the report said.
While speaking with Brokering, the deputy immediately noticed the strong odor of alcohol coming from his breath. He heavily slurred his words, and his eyes looked bloodshot and watery. The deputy brought this up to him, but he stated he did not have anything to drink, the report said.
The deputy asked Brokering about the victim going to the hospital, and he stated that on Sunday, she went up there to get her neck checked out because she thought she had strep throat. She was told she had the flu and left after being seen by a doctor, the report said.
The other deputy was told by the victim that she went to the hospital after an incident at the house Sunday. They were arguing, and Brokering got up to unplug the Alexa smart device from the wall next to her bed. He stood over her with the cord in his hand and told her he would kill her with it, the report said.
The victim feared he would kill her. Brokering then reached down with his empty hand and grabbed her by the neck. After that, the incident was over, the report said.
The deputies took photos of the victim’s neck, which showed concentrated areas of irritation and redness in a manner consistent with being strangled. Brokering was subsequently placed under arrest, the report said.
A database check of Brokering revealed he was out on bond. In strangling the victim, he violated his pretrial release condition that restrained him from threatening, assaulting, harassing or abusing the victim. He also violated his conditions by the strangulation itself and for consuming alcohol, the report said.
Brokering was charged with aggravated assault without intent to kill, domestic battery by strangulation and violation of pretrial release conditions. He was transported to Marion County Jail to be held without bond.
The Arizona native was also arrested in January for making a scene at his girlfriend’s workplace.