Man arrested Saturday for battery, strangulation

A 40-year-old Bloomington man was arrested Saturday after reportedly choking his girlfriend.

Chad Featherston was arrested for aggravated domestic battery, strangulation, confinement and interfering with the reporting of a crime.

Bloomington Police Department officers responded to a report of a domestic dispute at around 2:11 a.m. in the 1800 block of South Maxwell Street, BPD Lt. John Kovach said.

The 35-year-old female victim reported to officers she was in the house when Featherston became irate and started yelling. 

She said Featherston picked her up by the neck and choked her. She then tried to get away, but he grabbed her again.

She then told officers she tried to get her phone and call 911,  but Featherston grabbed the phone and broke it.

The victim said she tried to leave with her young son, but Featherston was blocking the door.

She then left out a back door and went to a neighbor’s house where she called 911.

Officers found Featherston outside near a shed. He told officers that he did not know what was going on and that his girlfriend started yelling and tried to punch him, Kovach said.

However, Featherston’s story was not consistent, and he was arrested.

— Matt Stefanski