Lucas Anthony Bednar, 18, of Austin was charged on Tuesday in Mower County District Court with felony domestic assault by strangulation, misdemeanor domestic assault and misdemeanor fourth-degree criminal damage to property.

According to the court complaint, police were called about an assault at 4:48 a.m. on Sunday in the 1800 block of Third Avenue Southeast. They met with a juvenile female standing near a 2004 Saturn Ion. She said Bednar had assaulted her and left the area. Police observed redness and cuts on her right shoulder and redness on the right side of her neck. She also complained about soreness behind her right ear.

The victim said she came to the house to talk to Bednar and they were standing out front near the Saturn when he began yelling at her and punched her in the head and arm. She then said he strangled her and she was afraid she would pass out. She reported he broke the window to the Saturn at some point by throwing a wrench through it.

The victim said Bednar had strangled her four times before, the complaint states. She also alleged that he punched her in the mouth and bit her on the forehead a week earlier.

While police were speaking to the victim, Bednar returned to the residence and was arrested, the complaint states. He admitted to striking the victim once in the arm, but denied strangling her. He said he pushed her against the Saturn and grabbed her collarbone area, telling her to leave because he was “fed up.” He said he damaged the Saturn’s window because she was threatening to damage his vehicle, which he then moved to the 1700 block of Second Avenue Southeast.

Police spoke with the Saturn’s owner, a relative of the victim, and advised him to get an estimate on the damage. The complaint states he told police that violence between Bednar and the victim had been going on for quite some time.

Bednar will appear in court again on Nov. 8.