Plea deal struck in assault case
A Rose Creek man who allegedly punched and choked a woman and forced her to stay at home on Oct. 24 accepted a plea agreement Friday in Mower County court.
Aaron Thomas Bixby, 38, pleaded guilty to domestic assault — subsequent violation by strangulation and false imprisonment, both felonies and gross misdemeanor domestic assault for a subsequent violation. Two felonies, domestic assault by strangulation and false imprisonment, were dismissed.
The victim said she argued with Bixby while riding back from Rochester with him in October 2012. She said Bixby pulled over near Rose Creek, choked her until she couldn’t breathe and punched her several times in the face, according to the court complaint. She adds she later tried to go for a walk; however, Bixby picked her up and carried her back into the house and would not let her leave.
Bixby later tried to apologize, according to the complaint, however the victim ignored his apologies and angered him further. Bixby reportedly grabbed the woman’s arm so hard she thought he had broken it. The woman went to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin the next day where an officer learned about the assault and photographed the injuries, which included a black eye and bruises on her neck and arm. The officer later arrested Bixby at the Holiday Inn in Austin.
Bixby will be sentenced on May 3.