A Syracuse man is facing charges after police say he choked a woman until she passed out. Todd Valentine, 40, of 306 E. Lynwood Drive, is charged with one count of strangulation and one count of domestic battery with moderate bodily injury, both level 6 felonies. Syracuse Police officer Michael Bumbaugh responded Nov. 11 to a domestic battery complaint and found the victim with bruises under her eyes and behind her ears, according to a probable cause affidavit from the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office. The victim told Bumbaugh that she had been arguing with Valentine when he shoved her off the toilet, causing her back to hit and break the wall. The victim hit a nail in the wall that cause her to bleed from the back, the affidavit states. The victim said Valentine had choked her to the point that she couldn’t breathe and passed out. Bumbaugh searched the bathroom and found the damaged wall and blood on the carpet, a towel and shower curtain. Valentine was booked into Kosciusko?County Jail this morning. Bond was set at $25,250. Valentine also has pending felony charges in unrelated cases for battery of a public safety official and resisting law enforcement, intimidation and battery by means of a deadly weapon.
