Darius Grant Johnson has been charged with a felony after allegedly strangling a woman.
According to court documents, a Great Falls police officer responded to a residence on May 10 for a report of a man who had "choked out" a woman and put her on the ground while she was trying to get away.
The officer spoke to witnesses who said Johnson approached the woman from behind and placed her in a headlock.
The victim said Johnson grabbed her around the neck hard, which restricted her breathing, and then put her on the ground.
Johnson said he had gotten into an argument with the woman but claimed he had never choked her, only grabbed her from behind.
He has been charged with felony strangulation of a partner or family member.
Johnson has previous convictions for obstructing a peace officer, criminal trespass to property, criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct, and two convictions for misdemeanor theft.
His bond has been set at $10,000.
In a separate incident, Johnson faces an additional charge after a Great Falls Public Schools official contacted the Great Falls Police Department about a cashed check.
The GFPS official told an officer that he mailed a check in the amount of $1,601 to a Great Falls business. Representatives from the business said the mailbox was not secured at that time.
The check had been cashed at Walmart and the name on the check had been changed to Darius Grant Johnson.
The officer was able to review documents signed by Johnson in an unrelated case to compare signatures. The signature on the documents matched the signature on the forged check.
Johnson faces a felony charge for forgery.
