JACKSON - Two Jackson men made first appearances in court Wednesday on two separate domestic assault cases.
Kody Johnson, 22, and Jeffrey Egdorf, 35, are charged with separate counts of domestic assault by strangulation, a felony. Johnson is also charged with felony domestic assault, a charge stemming from having allegedly committed a domestic violence-related offense within 10 years of the first of two or more previous domestic-violence related convictions or adjudications of delinquency.
During the early morning hours of June 21, court documents state the Jackson County dispatch received a 911 call reporting a domestic assault by strangulation. When officers arrived, Egdorf was asked what happened. He said he and the victim had been fighting the whole night and arguing over a phone cord.
Egdorf added that while fighting with the victim over the cord, it snapped. He said the victim had made threats that she was going to have him arrested and that he’d been trying to evade her.
When the victim was interviewed, she corroborated the fact that an argument had taken place over the phone cord, which broke in the process. She then went on to say Egdorf had thrown the cord at her before allegedly grabbing her and choking her for approximately five to seven seconds. The victim stated she had difficulty breathing and trouble swallowing, and Egdorf had asked her to leave the home.
When questioned again, Egdorf said the victim had thrown pop on him after the fight over the phone cord and he might have grabbed her, motioning with his right hand that he may have done so around the throat. He later told a different officer he did not touch her.
In an interview following his arrest, Egdorf stated that he believed the victim wanted to get him arrested and the marks on her neck and throat were self-inflicted. He then reiterated the fight had been over a phone cord, adding that the victim had kicked him in the face.
Two days later (June 23), officers were called to a home in Jackson for a reported domestic disturbance. Johnson called authorities to report someone was in his home that was not supposed to be there. Johnson told dispatchers that the person had left his home and gave a description of the vehicle.
Officers found the car and spoke with the driver. The woman was crying to the point it was difficult to speak, according to court documents. The woman told the officer that Johnson had choked her and taken her car keys, not allowing her to leave.
When asked to give a statement, the woman initially refused, stating it was her fault for going to Johnson’s home. She agreed upon being asked again.
When interviewed by law enforcement, the victim said she had went to the home and she and Johnson were discussing issues between them. She claimed Johnson was upset with her and she wanted to leave. The victim was lying on the couch, not feeling well, while Johnson cooked food she’d brought over. She said Johnson went outside under the guise of rolling up her car windows, but actually took her keys and phone from the vehicle.
When he returned inside, he began to assault her. The victim said Johnson threw her down and at one point was on top of her, choking her while she was on the couch. She added that Johnson pulled her hair, spit in her face and threw a pop on her during the assault.
When Johnson was questioned, he stated that the victim was not supposed to be at his residence due to a no-contact order being in place. He claimed the woman did not have permission to be in the home and had arrived while he was sleeping.
Johnson is currently held in the Nobles County Jail on a $35,000 bail with conditions and a $70,000 bail without conditions. Johnson was convicted of domestic assault in October of last year against the alleged victim in this case. He was also convicted of violating an order of protection with a different victim. Johnson has a plea hearing scheduled for later this month.
Egdorf is currently held in the Nobles County Jail on a $25,000 bond with conditions and a $50,000 bond without conditions. Egdorf has an omnibus hearing scheduled for later this month.
