Kentucky Republican accused of trying to strangle and 'hog-tie' woman during pandemic lockdown

A Kentucky lawmaker was arrested this week for allegedly trying to strangle and hog-tie a woman.

Laurel County Sheriff John Root said that Republican state Rep. Robert Goforth was arrested early Tuesday morning on charges of strangulation, assault and terroristic threatening.

According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, the victim had come to the 911 dispatch center earlier that morning to report the crime.

The woman said that Goforth attacked her over a dispute about unlocking her phone.

The Herald-Leader reported:

She had visible marks on her forehead, neck and arms, as well as bruising on her leg, the citation said.

The victim told police that she tried to flee from Goforth, and that he made several attempts to “hog tie her,” according to the citation. He also allegedly strangled her with an ethernet cable to the point where she said she thought she was going to pass out, according to the citation.

She also told police that Goforth said he was going to kill her during the altercation, according to the arrest citation.

Earlier this month, victim advocates told The Washington Post that cases of domestic abuse are on the rise due to stay-at-home orders designed to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are asking these people to isolate themselves with their perpetrator, which cuts them off from any support system they have,” Rachael Natoli of the Lokahi Foundation explained. “If you are locked up with your perpetrator, you are at more risk. There is no break."