A local man who allegedly strangled his girlfriend to the point she feared she would die and was shot with a taser after running from police was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

On Sept. 27, police were called to a residence on McBride Street for a physical domestic altercation. The girlfriend of Tommy White, 33, told police he had held her against the closet door while gripping her throat and choking her until she thought she would die, as well as hurting her hand.

According to the girlfriend, White had been asleep for the past two days, and after she told him he needed to get out bed, he became angry and violent. White left as police were headed to the home.

Officials received information regarding what White was wearing, and it was believed he was carrying a handgun, as well as having an outstanding warrant out of Van Buren County. As the officers were driving to McBride Street, a male matching that same description was seen walking down the road. 

Officer Brad Hall made contact with the man, who was Tommy White, and told him to put his hands up. White asked the officer why he was being handcuffed, and Hall told him he was under arrest. White pulled away and began running. Hall deployed his taser, and White was taken into custody.

Once arrested, he was found to be in possession of a Browning 9mm handgun located in a holster in his right waistband. He doesn’t have a valid gun permit. The handgun didn’t have a round in its chamber, but the pistol magazine had ammunition in it.

White was charged with aggravated domestic assault, evading arrest, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of a weapon. During his appearance in court, the evading arrest and unlawful possession charges were dropped, and the aggravated domestic assault was lowered to domestic assault.

Both the evading arrest and domestic assault charges are 45-day sentences to be served consecutively resulting in a total of 90 days at Warren County jail. White must also attend batterer’s intervention classes, pay costs, forfeit the weapon and have no contact with the victim.