Michael Loiland Charged in Thief River Falls Assault Case

THIEF RIVER FALLS, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A 40-year-old Thief River Falls man faces felony domestic assault by strangulation and gross misdemeanor domestic assault charges after his girlfriend reported that he choked her until she could no longer breathe.

Michael Jon Loiland, 40, was arrested following an incident reported to dispatch at approximately 1 a.m. Monday, October 19, 2026.

Woman Reports Being Choked During Domestic Incident

According to the criminal complaint, Loiland’s girlfriend told authorities that he had been in a negative mood recently and had become intoxicated before the alleged assault.

She reported that Loiland jumped on top of her and choked her until she was unable to breathe.

After he stopped, she reportedly asked what was wrong with him. According to the complaint, Loiland responded that he did not care if he went to jail.

The woman then left the residence and reported the incident to law enforcement.

Deputy Observes Redness on Woman’s Neck

A responding deputy reported observing redness on both sides of the woman’s neck.

According to the complaint, the deputy did not observe signs that the woman was impaired.

When questioned, Loiland reportedly denied that a physical altercation had occurred.

He allegedly told the deputy that his girlfriend was upset because of his negative attitude and claimed she had caused the marks on her neck herself.

Preliminary Breath Test Shows 0.254

Investigators reported that Loiland exhibited signs of alcohol impairment during the encounter.

According to the criminal complaint, a preliminary breath test produced a reading of 0.254.

That figure was reported as part of the domestic assault investigation. The supplied complaint summary does not identify a separate impaired-driving allegation.

Previous Court Case Mentioned in Complaint

The criminal complaint states that Loiland was already subject to conditions of release in a separate 2026 Pennington County case.

That pending matter reportedly involves allegations of interference with an emergency call and trespassing.

According to the complaint, the woman involved in the October 19 incident is also the alleged victim in that earlier case.

Court documents additionally reference a July 2013 misdemeanor domestic assault conviction involving Loiland. The supplied report does not establish whether the same woman was involved in that earlier offense.

Felony and Gross Misdemeanor Charges

Loiland faces felony domestic assault by strangulation under Minnesota Statute 609.2247.

Under Minnesota law, that felony carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both, unless a greater penalty applies.

He also faces a gross misdemeanor domestic assault charge, according to the criminal complaint. Minnesota’s domestic assault provisions are found in Minnesota Statute 609.2242.

The statutory basis for the gross misdemeanor enhancement was not fully established by the supplied summary.

No court hearing date or final disposition was included in the report. Public case information can be searched through Minnesota Court Records Online.

The new charges remain allegations. Loiland is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

I’m Adrian Cole reporting for TRF News.