Thief River Falls, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A Thief River Falls man has been charged in Pennington County District Court after allegedly threatening a woman with a knife and assaulting her on Wednesday, June 19.
Charges and Arrest
Jose Antonio Baltodano-Gutierrez, 24, faces felony charges of threats of violence and misdemeanor domestic assault causing bodily harm. He has been arrested.
Incident Details
According to the amended complaint, Baltodano-Gutierrez allegedly threatened to “take off” his girlfriend’s eyes while brandishing a knife and is also accused of punching her.
The incident began on June 18, when police received a call from Northern Pride asking them to speak with a female employee. A day earlier, officers conducted a welfare check on the woman at her coworkers’ request but found nothing wrong at that time.
Victim’s Account
The woman reported that Baltodano-Gutierrez had started acting differently five days earlier. On the morning of June 18, he allegedly pushed her, began punching her, and caused a thigh bruise. She texted a coworker saying he wouldn’t let her go to work or call for help, and that he had hit her that morning.
The woman instructed her coworker not to respond since Baltodano-Gutierrez had her phone and had gone to the bathroom. She deleted the message out of fear he would find it. The text message was forwarded to another employee, who, along with another coworker, requested a welfare check on June 18.
Police Involvement
Police visited the couple’s home in the 300 block of St. Paul Ave. S. The woman didn’t disclose the ongoing abuse during the welfare check because Baltodano-Gutierrez was still home.
The next day, the situation escalated. The woman told Baltodano-Gutierrez to leave, but he allegedly brandished a 12-inch kitchen knife and threatened to “take her eyes off.” She was afraid due to his uncharacteristic behavior. He allowed her to go to work the following day, fearing that police would think something was wrong and return to their home.
Conclusion
Jose Antonio Baltodano-Gutierrez remains in custody as the investigation continues. The charges highlight the severity of the alleged threats and assault.