Chapel Hill police arrested a Durham man at 11 a.m. Sunday and charged him with one felony count of attempted murder in the first degree, one felony count of strangulation and one felony count of breaking and entering.
Vicente Jimenez Martinez, 26, was arrested at his ex-girlfriend’s residence on Cypress Road after he forcibly entered her home and assaulted her, said police spokeswoman Jane Cousins.
The domestic assault, which took place in the victim’s bedroom, started after Martinez forced his way past another man in the house and into the room. The other man in the house heard the suspect and the victim and went next door to call 911 and inform police.
When police arrived at the scene, Martinez was still in the room with the victim. During the assault, he strangled, hit and threw the woman, Cousins said.
The victim was taken to UNC Hospitals.
Cousins said the charge of attempted murder in the first degree was issued at the discretion of the magistrate, who issues charges based on the severity of the assault.
The severity of charges in domestic assaults has become harsher since December, when the N.C. General Assembly enacted laws that increased the punishments for perpetrators of domestic violence.
One law increased the severity of punishment for incidents involving strangulation. Previously a misdemeanor charge, strangulation was raised to a Class H felony, with a prison sentence of up to two years for any person convicted.
The legislation was a result of the work of the House Select Committee on Domestic Violence.
