A Natrona County man is accused of strangling, hitting and restraining his girlfriend.

Nathan Trost has pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated assault and battery, one count of strangulation of a household member, one count of felonious restraint, one count of domestic battery, and one count of interference with a police officer.

Investigators with the Casper Police Department say in February, officers responded to a call from the Wyoming Medical Center's emergency room, where they met a woman who had bruising over several areas of her body, according to the police affidavit filed with the court.

The woman told police her boyfriend, Trost, woke her up when she was sleeping.

She told K2 Radio she had hidden a wrapped Valentine's Day present for him under the bed.

Trost retrieved it, got angry, walked into the living room of their residence on East 14th Street, and broke dishes and furniture.

The woman walked into the living room where he grabbed her left hand, pulled off a ring, pulled her to the ground and then to the kitchen.

He placed both hands around her throat and began squeezing causing her to lose consciousness twice.

After other fighting, including the use of knives, Trost held her down and put a hammer to the back of her head, saying, "'I should just kill you, wrap you up, and put you the desert, and come clean this up,'" according to the affidavit.

She briefly sat down on a couch. Trost then grabbed her by her hair and rammed her head against a wall about five times.

She was eventually able to leave the house and get a ride to the hospital.

When police tried to interview Trost, he resisted arrest until an officer used pepper spray on him.

Prosecutors say Trost has three prior convictions for violating the Family Violence Protection Act.

He is awaiting trial on $75,000 bond, and could face up to 10 years in prison on the aggravated assault charge, and up to five years in prison on each of the strangulation and restraint charges if convicted.

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