A North Dakota man has been charged after a domestic dispute allegedly turned violent.
Earlier this week, authorities in Fargo responded to a call from a woman who claimed she’d been stabbed. Police arrived at the apartment around 8:26 p.m. at night. Officers observed there were two circular cuts near her elbow, as well as other red marks on her chest and neck. The woman — whose name has not been released — reportedly told police that a man, Michael David Schaffer, had become angry with her after he had witnessed her talking loudly with another person.
Her relationship with Schaffer is unclear.
Schaffer allegedly began breaking items in the apartment out of frustration before he reportedly shoved her against a wall and choked her for around one minute. The woman claimed that when she asked him to stop, he allegedly grabbed a pair of pliers and stabbed them into her elbow.
Following the altercation, Schaffer allegedly left the home, but he returned and was discovered by police in the entryway to the apartment building. He was arrested and brought to Cass County Jail on Thursday, January 22, charged with aggravated assault with a dangerous weapon or other weapon and domestic violence/assault with a serious bodily injury.
Schaffer’s arraignment was scheduled for Friday, January 23.
He has denied all allegations against him and accused the woman of being the aggressor in the alleged attack.
In the state of North Dakota, aggravated assault is often charged as a Class B or Class C felony depending on the circumstances and the victim involved. If found guilty, penalties could include a max sentence of five years behind bars and up to $10,000 in fines. Meanwhile, a first offense of domestic violence assault could result in a sentence of up to 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine, according to Reichert Law.
The North Dakota Domestic & Sexual Violence Coalition reported that one in four women, and one in 10 men “have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner and reported an intimate partner violence-related impact during their lifetime.”
This isn’t Schaffer’s first run-in with police. In 2019, Metro Street Crime Unit arrested him and four others in connection with the search for a stolen vehicle, per Valley News Live.
Andrew John Patrick Collison was taken into custody on charges for marijuana possession, felony possession of drug paraphernalia, refusing to halt, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, giving false information to law enforcement and for having an open warrant. Others arrested included Linda Lou Poitra, who was also cited for possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, Shawn Michael Schwandt, who was arrested for aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and possession of marijuana wax, and James Edward Martinez, who was charged with possession of meth, ingesting a controlled substance, and misdemeanor drug paraphernalia possession.
Schaffer, who was 28 years old at the time, was taken into custody for an alleged probation violation.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
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