NORTH WEBSTER — A North Webster man was recently arrested after he hit and choked a female victim. When the female attempted to call 911, the male attempted to break her phone.

William Joseph Starbuck, 32, 312 W. Crystal Flash Road, lot 27, North Webster, is being charged with domestic battery in the presence of a child, a level 6 felony; domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor; strangulation, a level 6 felony; and interference with the reporting of a crime, a class A misdemeanor.

On March 7, an officer with the North Webster Police Department responded to a domestic battery call. The officer was met by the female victim who had blood on her forehead and lip. The victim advised that she and Starbuck were arguing when he grabbed her, hit her in the back of the head and choked her. The officer was able to observe a bruise on the victim’s left arm.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Starbuck grabbed the victim’s phone and tried to break it when she started to call 911. One child was present during the battery.

Starbuck told the officer that he grabbed the victim and “swung her around a little bit.” He further admitted to grabbing her phone because he didn’t want her calling the police.