Steven Wayne Whipple.

A West Sunbury man faces strangulation and assault charges Tuesday after allegedly beating and choking a woman and then locking himself in her apartment to evade state police.

When police arrived on Kelly Boulevard in Slippery Rock on Saturday, court documents show, Steven Whayne Whipple, 47, was trying to get into a car which held the woman who reported his abuse. The woman’s shirt was ripped and she had blood on her head and neck, police said. Whipple ran into her apartment upon seeing police cars, according to court documents.

The victim told police that Whipple had taken her cell phone and locked her in her bathroom. He punched her in the head, threatened to break her arm and choked her until she lost consciousness, police said in court documents. The abuse began late Friday night or early Saturday morning, according to investigators.

Eventually, the woman told police, Whipple called another man “to taunt him” and she managed to escape the apartment and hide in her car. That is when police arrived, at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Police used a speaker system to tell Whipple to leave the building. He responded with a rude gesture made from the window, court records show.

Police entered the home minutes later and report that Whipple resisted before being handcuffed.

A warrant is out for Whipple’s arrest. He is charged with strangulation, terroristic threats, simple assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and harassment. Police are aware of his whereabouts.

Medical examinations of the victim showed a neck sprain, tissue damage to an arm, chest wall contusions, bruising to the neck and several lacerations, court records show.