Missoula Man Accused of Restraining Girlfriend, Strangling and Threatening Her With Ax

A concerned Missoulian called 911 after watching a neighboring couple fight outside around 6:00 P.M. Sunday night, April 8.

"Officers responded to the report of a disturbance in the 900 block of Longstaff," said Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh. "According to the dispatcher, somebody there was reporting that a female was claiming her her boyfriend may have been trying to kill her. When officers arrived they made contact with the female was standing with a couple neighbors out front, she explained that she had been fighting with here boyfriend who is identified as 36-year-old Michael Dawkins."

When police arrived the female claimed had been restrained against her will, and that weapons had been used during incident.

"The female had identified that something akin to an ax may have been used, however, there was also a knife that was involved," Welsh said. "The officers made contact with Mr. Dawkins and subsequently arrested him for Strangulation of a Partner or Family Member as well as  Assault With a Weapon and Unlawful Restraint."

According to police records Dawkins has been charged with assault before, in this instance he is receiving two felony charges: one for the use of the weapons and one for the strangulation.