Casper Man Arrested for Allegedly Strangling Woman, Firing Gun Into Windshield
A Casper man was arrested early Monday morning after an argument reportedly turned physical when he allegedly strangled a woman, tried to crash her car with the two of them inside and fired a handgun into the windshield.
Michael F. Brockmeier, 34, was booked into the Natrona County Detention Center on recommended charges of aggravated assault, battery, strangulation, reckless endangerment, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance. He will likely make his initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court at 2 p.m. Monday.
Charging papers say three police officers were sent to the area of Ninth and Wolcott shortly before midnight Sunday for a report of a man and woman arguing.
Officers arrived to find the argument underway, and the woman reportedly had "blood all over her face coming from her nose." Officers separated the couple and interviewed them.
Brockmeier allegedly said he had been at Racks Night Club having a couple of drinks when he got into an argument with his girlfriend, who is the alleged victim in the matter. Brockmeier claimed to have been assaulted, but police could see no visible signs of injury. Brockmeier would not tell police who assaulted him, but officers did note Brockmeier appeared to be intoxicated.
The alleged victim told police she had met up with Brockmeier for dinner after working a double shift. She could reportedly tell he had been drinking, but the two decided to go out to Racks after eating.
Brockmeier, the woman said, "started to make out with one of the strippers," which made the victim upset. She tried to talk to Brockmeier about the issue, but then he got upset and started to argue in the bar.
They continued to hang out at Racks, watching the dancers, when Brockmeier reportedly walked off and "started doing his own thing," the victim told police. She reportedly turned around and saw him "talking with another stripper," so she went over and said, "Hey babe, how's it going?"
Brockmeier walked out of the club, and the victim found him upset outside the club. Brockmeier reportedly wanted to leave, but the victim convinced him to go back inside.
Brockmeier went back into the bar upset, the victim told police, and got into an argument with another customer at the bar. Someone reportedly yelled about calling the police, so the victim ended up dragging Brockmeier out of the bar to avoid a fight.
They got into the victim's car to leave, but Brockmeier allegedly started to yell at her. The victim drove while arguing with Brockmeier, she said, but Brockmeier kept grabbing at the steering wheel and jerking the wheel to one side in an alleged effort to crash the car.
Near the intersection of Salt Creek Highway and West First Street, Brockmeier allegedly grabbed the victim to where she had no control of the vehicle. She was able to stop the car and put it in park.
Brockmeier allegedly reached over and started to strangle the victim. In order to get him off of her, the victim said she slapped him across the face, which made Brockmeier angry.
"You want to put your hands on me!" Brockmeier allegedly said before reportedly choking her twice more while they were in the car.
At some point, the victim started to drive again, and Brockmeier reportedly pulled a gun out of his waistband. He allegedly waved the gun around, and the victim reportedly said, "You might as well do it."
Brockmeier allegedly continued waving the gun around before punching one of the car windows, then pointing the gun toward the front of the vehicle and firing a round through the windshield, the victim claimed.
The victim later got home and drove to the end of an alley to let Brockmeier out of the car, because she didn't want him in the house. Brockmeier allegedly wouldn't get out of the car and kept saying he had the keys to the house, so he could get inside anyway.
Brockmeier then allegedly handed the pistol to the victim and said, "You f---ing do it; just blow my brains out." The victim took the gun in order to get it away from Brockmeier, putting it in the driver-side door. Brockmeier allegedly started choking her again, trying to grab the gun.
The victim then tried to back the vehicle up to the house so she could get out, but Brockmeier grabbed the wheel, sending the car into some trash cans. The victim said she was able to get into their parking spot and got out of the car, taking the handgun with her so she could hide it from Brockmeier.
The victim walked inside and hid the gun, then went back outside and continued to argue with Brockmeier. The altercation allegedly remained physical, with Brockmeier reportedly shoving the victim, and the victim slapping him before Brockmeier allegedly punched her twice in the face, knocking her to the ground.
Brockmeier tried to leave, but the victim grabbed his keys just before officers arrived.
Police searched Brockmeier and allegedly found a magazine containing eight .45-caliber rounds in Brockmeier's back pocket.
When asked, Brockmeier refused to tell police the gun's location.
A search of the victim's car revealed no guns, but police did find a .45-caliber round on the passenger floor. The victim took officers into her home and showed them where she hid the gun.
Police ultimately found a .45-caliber pistol with one round in the chamber and seven in the magazine.
While booking him into jail, detention officers allegedly found one oxycodone pill inside Brockmeier's wallet.