Man charged with attacking, choking ex-wife

SHEFFIELD - Police say a man is in jail after he forced his way into his ex-wife's house, where he is accused of threatening and choking her.

Gregory Allen Brown, 47, 302 Hogue St., Tuscumbia, is charged with first-degree burglary and aggravated stalking.

Sheffield police said a domestic situation involving Brown and the woman has been going on for sometime. Officials were not sure how long the couple had been divorced.

The latest incident took place at the woman's house on 31st Street about midnight Monday.

"She had walked out of the door to walk the dog and apparently he had been outside waiting on her," said Sheffield detective Chad Carruth.

When Brown confronted the 41-year-old woman, he forced her back into the house, pushed her to the floor and began to choke her with his hands, according to reports.

"She said he had his hands around her throat choking her and even at one point, he put his knee in her throat to continue to choke her," Carruth said. "While he's choking her, she said he was making some threatening remarks to her."

He said Brown eventually stopped choking his ex-wife, picked her up, helped her get to the couch and then went to the kitchen and got her a bottle of water and asked if she was OK and then left, according to reports.

"As soon as he left, she called police," Carruth said. "She told the officers that she was afraid for her life, and she's lucky that she wasn't injured any worse than she was."

The woman sustained minor injuries.

Carruth said officers looked for Brown throughout the day Tuesday at his residence and other locations where he is known to frequent.

"Then Tuesday afternoon, he was spotted walking along Raleigh Avenue and we were able to take him into custody," Carruth said.

Brown was in Sheffield City Jail without bail Wednesday.

First-degree burglary is a Class A felony, punishable by 10 years to life in prison upon conviction. Aggravated stalking is a Class B felony and carries a sentence of two to 20 years if convicted.

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.