The case against an Evans City man who allegedly beat, strangled and threatened his ex-girlfriend will move forward to the county level after a preliminary hearing Monday.

Jeremy M. Flood, 45, attended the hearing virtually before District Judge William Fullerton. As of Monday, he remained in Butler County Prison in lieu of $25,000 bond, which remained intact, despite his request for a reduction.

Flood's public defender Michael McFarland asked for the bond reduction, which Fullerton denied in addition to waiving all of Flood's charges to court.

Stemming from an April 23 incident, those charges include felony strangulation and misdemeanors of terroristic threats, simple assault and possessing a controlled substance.

Fullerton said the accuser's fear of Flood was a factor in that decision, which he said was apparent during her testimony Monday.

“She was visibly shaking,” Fullerton said. “Her fear was palpable.”

During her testimony, the woman said Flood was her ex-boyfriend at the time. She said he showed up with two bottles of vodka and drank about one and a half by the time he began petitioning her for sex.

The woman said when she refused his advances, Flood attacked her, first placing her in a chokehold and then later slamming her head against a wall, all while screaming at her and demanding sex.

“I'm going to knock you out, so I can take what I want,” said the woman, citing the alleged words Flood said while he choked her. “I couldn't do anything. I was frozen. I couldn't breath.”

City police officer Korey Zarnick later testified that he arrived on the scene after the woman escaped from her apartment and called police.

Zarnick said he did not see any apparent injuries on the woman, but he did notice she looked frightened and hurriedly dressed.

“She appeared very distraught,” Zarnick said. “Her clothing was disheveled. She didn't have any shoes on and only one sock on.”

Zarnick said he spoke with the accuser outside the apartment, and shortly afterward he took her to the city police station, where he recorded an audio statement from her.

According to Zarnick, during this time, other officers entered the apartment and arrested Flood. He said officers found three Suboxone strips in his pocket for which he did not have a prescription.

But McFarland argued that the charge was generated solely on the hearsay of the other officers who searched Flood.

“Officer Zarnick did not witness the search or the finding of the suboxone,” McFarland said.

Assistant District Attorney Amanda Scarpo said Flood had made statements later to Zarnick that he did not have a prescription, which was enough to proceed with the drug charges.

Flood is scheduled to appear next for a formal arraignment June 29 in the County Court of Common Pleas.