A Butler man had charges of felony false imprisonment and strangulation dismissed, but some misdemeanor charges remain after his preliminary hearing Monday morning, March 2.

Terrence Darnell Fields Jr., 31, was originally charged with two felony counts of false imprisonment and felony strangulation; and one misdemeanor count each of false imprisonment, simple assault, trespass and criminal mischief.

Following his preliminary hearing, only a single charge each of trespass and criminal mischief will move forward.

Butler police officer Daniel Decaria testified before District Judge William Fullerton that he was dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Wick Street where he met with a woman who had visible injuries.

According to an affidavit in the case, police said the woman told them Fields kept her and her two children hostage in a bedroom of the home all day and told them to use a bucket to go to the bathroom.

Police also reported in the affidavit that two of the doors were broken off the hinges, two doors had their frames splintered the entire length of the frame and one door had the knob ripped off. Repairs for the doors were estimated to cost around $600.

Decaria testified he believed this damage to be relatively new at the time of the incident.

Pictures of the woman’s injuries were presented to Fullerton and Decaria said his interaction with the woman and damages to the residence were captured on his body camera, which would be available during discovery.

Police also found Fields had been barred from the residence by the property owner.

Assistant District Attorney Laura Pitchford also played the call to emergency dispatch made by the woman during the incident. During the call, the woman identifies Fields as the man who was inside her home.

Public defender Terri Schultz argued all false imprisonment, simple assault and strangulation charges should be dropped because the caller made no mention of any strangulation or assault and did not mention the two children while speaking to the dispatcher.

Schultz also asked Decaria if the woman had marks from the strangulation. He said she did not have any visible marks but told police that Fields had grabbed her throat.

Fullerton said the call with dispatch was difficult to understand and he had no access to other evidence such as the body camera footage.

Fields’ bond was also reduced from $250,000 to $5,000 with a no contact provision for the woman. His formal arraignment is set for 1 p.m. on April 21.