Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – Police arrested a Brookland man after they said he placed his girlfriend in a chokehold and restricted her breathing during an argument over a shower.

On Sept. 6, Jonesboro police officer Sam Culp was dispatched to an apartment on West Hinkley Street for a domestic disturbance that had already occurred.

According to a probable cause affidavit, Culp made contact with a woman who appeared visibly shaken, anxious, and fearful. She explained that she and her boyfriend, 21-year-old Cory Taylor, had argued regarding the use of the shower.

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She told the officer that during the argument, she pulled a towel down from the shower curtain rod. Taylor then allegedly approached her from behind, placed his arm around her neck in a chokehold, and began applying pressure. The victim said her breathing was restricted. In an effort to free herself, she bit Taylor’s arm, which caused him to release her, the affidavit said.

While Culp was interviewing the victim, Taylor exited the apartment and walked toward the officer.

Culp observed the grip of a handgun visibly protruding from Taylor’s front left pants pocket as he approached. Culp approached Taylor, advised him that the weapon was being secured, and removed it from his possession for officer safety. A pat-down search for additional weapons yielded negative results.

Culp then interviewed Taylor, who claimed he was attempting to keep the towel away from the victim when she bit his arm. Taylor showed his arm to the officer, revealing the bite mark, and photographic evidence of the injury was taken.

However, the affidavit stated that based on the positioning, the severity of the bite, and the timeline of events, the injury was consistent with a defensive reaction executed to escape a physical hold. The officer determined that Taylor had restricted the victim’s breathing by applying pressure to her neck and that her actions were defensive.

As a result of the statements and evidence found, Taylor was arrested and taken to the Craighead County Detention Center.

During a follow-up investigation, Culp obtained a formal written statement from the victim and completed a domestic violence lethality assessment.

The affidavit said that during the assessment, she indicated a history of domestic violence within the home and expressed a “credible fear for her safety.” A subsequent database check on the secured firearm showed no record of it being stolen.

On Sept. 8, District Judge David Boling found probable cause to charge Taylor with aggravated assault, a Class D felony. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim and is currently being held on a $50,000 bond.

Taylor’s next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 26.

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