Butler police say a man attacked his girlfriend Sunday at their apartment on the 300 block of East Jefferson Street, allegedly kicking her in the head and threatening her with a knife.

Troy Whitmire, 23, is facing felony assault and other charges in the domestic dispute that left the 20-year-old woman with facial injuries that required hospital treatment.

Police said they went to the couple's apartment after they answered a call about 12:35 a.m. and heard a female screaming for help. When officers got to the apartment building they heard a female apparently yelling from inside.

Police entered the common doorway and noticed Whitmire standing at the top of the stairs and the victim standing behind him. The woman was crying and she had cuts on her face.

Officers detained the defendant and spoke to the woman, police said. She recounted that Whitmire had returned home earlier that night and started yelling at her.

“(She) stated that Whitmire displayed a knife,” according to charging documents, “and stated that he was going to kill her if she did not leave.”

She told officers that he grabbed her and threw her to the ground, and repeatedly kicked her on the left side of the face and head.

Police described the woman's injuries as several large contusions on her face and several cuts near her left eye. She was treated at Butler Memorial Hospital.

A folding knife with a 4-inch blade was recovered during the investigation, police said.

Whitmire is charged with aggravated assault, terroristic threats and simple assault. Arraignment is pending.