June 15, 2026 10:20 a.m. 

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office jailed a man for a felony count of strangulation on Sunday afternoon.

A DCSO report said at 3:20 p.m. a caller said there was a disturbance between a victim and 39-year-old William Stephens at a residence in the 100 block of Summer Lane, in the Wilbur area. The caller stated that the victim ran out of the house gasping for air, claiming she had been strangled. The witness took an image of a small scrape on the victim’s neck prior to the deputy’s arrival.

The victim said that she and the man had gotten into a heated argument and Stephens had placed her in a choke hold and pulled her back onto the bed. The victim said she could mostly breathe, but the suspect squeezed harder when she tried to get out of the hold. Stephens said he grabbed the victim by the shoulders and threw her on the bed and held her down. The man did not remember many details regarding the incident but claimed he did not strangle the victim. Stephens was also charged with harassment and was detained without bail.