A Summerville man was arrested Thursday on felony charges of aggravated assault and false imprisonment following a domestic incident earlier in the day that involved alleged strangulation, physical assault, and restricting the victim’s movement. Joe Don Mason, 48, was taken into custody after Chattooga County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of a domestic dispute with parties separated.

According to the incident report, officers were dispatched to an address in Summerville where they met with a female victim. The victim stated she had just been picked up by a friend after an alleged assault at her residence which she shares with Mason.

The victim reported that she had woken Mason from his sleep on the couch around 8:17 AM when he became irate. She stated Mason allegedly held her down, restricting her freedom of movement, and began to choke and strike her. The victim told officers she was eventually able to fight him off using a flashlight. Deputies noted observing several bruises around the victim’s arms and redness in her neck area.

The allegations against Mason were extremely disturbing, and included graphic messages and threats.  Witnesses, who were with the victim after she had relocated, stated that Mason later came to their location and admitted to holding the victim down and choking her before he left the scene. Additionally, the victim reportedly told deputies that there have been times when Mason allegedly admitted to giving her drugs in her drinks “to see how she would react.” She also stated that she had been awake for three days and, despite the abuse, expressed that one of the reasons she couldn’t leave him was because she loved him.

Based on the evidence and statements, was subsequently arrested on two warrants: Aggravated Assault-Family Violence Act (FVA) and False Imprisonment-Family Violence Act (FVA).