OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) — A 36-year-old man from South Carolina is facing strangulation charges after an incident in an alley early Monday morning.

Court documents indicate that the Oil City Police Department filed criminal charges against 36-year-old Marcus De Taylor, of Goose Creek, SC.

According to a criminal complaint, around 2:47 a.m. on Monday, March 26, Officer Webster received radio dispatch to respond to the area of Clark Alley for a report of people arguing.

Upon arrival, Officer Webster made contact with a man on Butternut Alley. The man, later identified as a North Charleston, South Carolina man had a bleeding cut above his right eye. Officer Webster then made contact with a second man, later identified as Marcus Taylor, who was walking down Butternut Alley toward the officer. Taylor stated he was trying to find his girlfriend.

Officer Webster noted that Taylor had bloodshot, glassy eyes, and smelled of alcohol.

According to the criminal complaint, Taylor stated he was walking home and could not find his girlfriend. Within a few minutes, Officer Webster made contact with Taylor’s girlfriend, a known female, and noticed red marks on her neck and face. Officer Webster asked the woman what happened, and she told him that while walking home from a bar, Taylor became angry and slapped her with an open hand. She said Taylor then grabbed her by the neck, which impeded her breathing to the point she almost passed out, and then he again struck her several times with an open hand. The known male individual then separated Taylor from the woman, at which time Taylor struck him in the face with a closed fist, the criminal complaint said.

Taylor was taken into custody and arraigned at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, March 26, at Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish’s office.

He faces the following charges:

– Strangulation — Applying Pressure to Throat or Neck, Felony 2
– Simple Assault, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
– Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary (two counts)
– Disorderly Conduct-Unreasonable Noise, Misdemeanor 3
– Public Drunkenness And Similar Misconduct, Summary

Unable to post $50,000.00 cash bail, Taylor was lodged in the Venango County Jail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4, with Judge Fish presiding.