Casper Man Arrested for Assaulting, Strangling Pregnant Woman

Casper police officers on Wednesday arrested a man after he allegedly assaulted and strangled a woman who was pregnant with his child.

Tristan William Holden was booked into jail on recommended charges of domestic battery, aggravated assault and battery, strangulation of a household member, abandoning or endangering children and marijuana possession. He will likely make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court at 2 p.m. Thursday.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, a Casper police officer responded to an apartment in the 100 Block of Columbine for a report of a family fight. A neighbor had reported screaming coming from another apartment.

The officer arrived to hear two people inside an apartment screaming at each other. He banged on the door and Holden answered, announcing that he was going to leave. The officer told Holden to sit on the floor.

In the living room, the officer saw the victim slouched over on the floor. She was crying and yelling that she was hurt. A child, estimated to be two years old, was also inside the apartment.

During a safety sweep, the officer noted numerous knives and a sword lying on the ground in the living room and one bedroom.

The victim told the officer that she was 12 weeks pregnant with Holden's child.

Holden told the officer that they had been in a relationship for a few months prior and had been living together for roughly one month. The previous evening, law enforcement had responded to a disturbance in which they had both been involved. Holden left the apartment to calm down.

Then, on Wednesday afternoon, Holden returned to the apartment. The victim told police that she wanted him to calm down before she would let him inside, but Holden allegedly pushed his way into the residence and started throwing things around.

The two began to physically fight and, the victim said, Holden held the victim on the ground, choking her and lying on top of her stomach with his knees pressed into her stomach area.

Holden allegedly threatened to take the victim's child away from the residence. The victim tried to stop him, and that's when the officer arrived.

Defensive wounds including scratch marks were noted on Holden's neck and chest. The victim had scratch marks on both sides of her neck, including fingernail impressions, as well as a bruised bite mark on one arm which she claimed was from Holden.

Neighbors confirmed that the two fought constantly. Holden was arrested.

Multiple marijuana pipes were found and tested presumptively positive for marijuana.