Man Charged With Domestic Assault at St. Cloud Hotel

ST. CLOUD -- A Sauk Rapids man is charged with two counts of felony domestic assault and domestic assault by strangulation for allegedly assaulting a woman at a St. Cloud hotel Sunday.

St. Cloud Police were called to the Holiday Inn Express around 12:45 p.m. after a woman requested an ambulance because she was assaulted and choked.

According to the criminal complaint, the woman said 25-year-old Brent Schaefer got upset and accused her of hacking into his phone. Records allege Schaefer grabbed the woman by the throat, stuck his index finger down her throat and covered her nose with his other fingers.

Responding officers noted an injury to the woman's lip and the back of her throat.

The woman said she wanted to leave but Schaefer had her phone and wouldn't give it back.

Witnesses reported seeing the victim crying and a male witness told police he talked to Schaefer who allegedly admitted to putting his hand over her mouth because he was trying to keep her quiet.

Court records show Schaefer had left before police arrived and returned to tell officers his side of the story.  Schaefer said he accused the woman of causing issues with his phone when she freaked out and began yelling and screaming and trying to grab the phone out of his hand. He denied getting physical with her, instead, he said he left to let things calm down.

Records show Schaefer has a previous conviction for a 2015 domestic assault and a violation of a domestic abuse no-contact order in 2017.