Dillon Michael Ferch, 31, of Austin was charged with felony domestic assault by strangulation, misdemeanor domestic assault and misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal damage to property on Monday in Mower County District Court.

He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

According to the court complaint, officers responded to a disturbance call at 6:47 p.m. on Nov. 28 at a residence in the 1500 block of Fourth Avenue Northwest. They spoke to a woman there, who said someone broke into her house and began breaking things in the living room. She described him as a white male wearing black sweatpants, a grey sweatshirt and a hat. She said she was upstairs when he broke in.

Officers observed a “floor burn” on her right elbow, according to the complaint. She also showed them a “floor burn” on her right knee. She also claimed the doors were locked, but officers saw no sign of forced entry.

The woman’s mother came over and told her to “tell the truth,” according to the complaint. The woman then told police Ferch had come over to her place at 2 p.m. and that he had been drinking since 10 a.m. They got into an argument and he threw her to the floor and began choking her. She said she could not breathe while he choked her.

She then said she punched him in the face to get him away from her, at which point he dragged her across the floor by her hair. She said he left when she threatened to call the police. She showed police bruises on her left upper thigh and told police he had strangled her before.

An officer responding to the scene found Ferch and detected a strong smell of alcohol from him, according to the complaint. The officer knew Ferch was on probation with an alcohol restriction. He administered a preliminary breath test that gave a 0.373 percent alcohol concentration. Ferch denied going to the victim’s house.

While at the Mower County Jail, Ferch allegedly told police he got into an argument with the victim. He said she punched him five times in the face and he pushed her to get him away from her. He denied strangling her, but allegedly admitted to destroying her property.

In Minnesota, felony domestic assault by strangulation carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and a $5,000 fine.

Ferch’s pre-trial is scheduled for March 23.