Thief River Falls, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – A Thief River Falls man has been charged in Pennington County District Court after he allegedly grabbed a woman by the throat, threw her to the ground, and caused her to hit her head on their child’s crib on Monday, Oct. 28. The woman was unable to breathe at the time but was later able to leave the house.
Caleb Charles Tydlacka, 23, of Thief River Falls, has been charged with felony domestic assault by strangulation, misdemeanor domestic assault, and misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He was arrested.
The charges stemmed from a report of a domestic assault on Oct. 28 at 11:43 p.m. in the 100 block of Greenwood St. E. According to the complaint, Tydlacka allegedly argued with a woman after returning home from a bar. The woman tried to leave the home with their infant son, but Tydlacka allegedly “grabbed her by the throat and choke slammed her to the ground,” causing her to hit her head on a crib. Tydlacka told the woman something along the lines of it becoming worse if she left with their son. She said he was intoxicated and used illegal controlled substances.
The woman then ran out of the house and went to the Law Enforcement Center. She asked officers to accompany her to the house as she returned to pick up her son and a few belongings. Two police officers, a police sergeant, and a sheriff’s deputy accompanied the woman home. Tydlacka allegedly instantly swore at them, saying they weren’t allowed on his property. He eventually gave the infant to the woman.
Law enforcement asked him what had happened that evening, leading Tydlacka to say that the woman had tried to take his child from the house. He then allegedly turned to the sergeant, got face to face with him, and told him to stand back from the doorway and not step another foot inside the house. After the woman said she wanted to retrieve some items, Tydlacka stayed in the sergeant’s face and started yelling that law enforcement needed to leave his property or he would start suing them.
After the woman entered the house, Tydlacka, who had an odor of alcohol emanating from his body, continued yelling and swearing. After being warned that he was close to being arrested for disorderly conduct, he got into an officer’s face and told him to get off his doorstep. He remained in the officer’s face and continued yelling at him. Tydlacka said he wasn’t scared of the officer and said he could drag all of the officers’ names in the mud. He then started pushing the officer’s chest and poking him.
The officer told him not to touch him, but Tydlacka continued yelling that the officer was a public servant and that he paid the officer’s salary. The officer then proceeded to arrest Tydlacka, who began crying hysterically, saying he hadn’t done anything wrong, hadn’t touched anyone, and asked what he had done. He yelled and cried, saying he hadn’t touched the officer and asked if law enforcement was serious.