Man Strangled Woman, Left Her In Ditch in Central Maine

CLINTON, Maine (AP) — Police say they are searching for a man who strangled a woman and later threw her into a ditch in Maine.

The Clinton Police Department says in a Facebook post the alleged assault happened at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.

The woman told police that the 30-year-old suspect, Jonathan Petgrave, first strangled her to the point where she couldn't breathe. Police say Petgrave then threw her out of the car and strangled her a second time as she jumped back in. Police say he eventually threw the woman into a ditch.

Police Chief Rusty Bell tells The Portland Press Herald that the commotion around the struggle prompted several neighbors to call 911. Clinton Ambulance transported the woman to a local hospital, where she was treated for her injuries and released.