An Augusta man is facing charges that he strangled his girlfriend during a fight inside their State Street apartment.

Adam J. Flaherty Jr., 18, is charged with aggravated assault. He was held at the Kennebec County jail over the weekend.

Police went to the apartment at 53 State St. shortly before 10 p.m. Sunday after receiving a report about a disturbance. Augusta police Officer Michael Unterkoefler wrote in an affidavit that a woman there told police that her son, Flaherty, had been in a fight.

Police eventually talked to Flaherty’s girlfriend, a 36-year-old Augusta woman, who told police that she and Flaherty had been arguing all day. The woman told police that Flaherty prevented her from going when she tried to leave, Unterkoefler wrote. The woman then pushed Flaherty away.

The woman told police that Flaherty then “pushed her on the couch, then he jumped on top of her” and began strangling her, Unterkoefler wrote. She said she was unsure whether Flaherty used two hands, because it happened so fast.

The woman said “she was punching at Adam while he was on top of her trying to get him off,” Unterkoefler wrote.

The woman’s neck appeared red, with marks below her jaw and on her lower neck, Unterkoefler wrote. He wrote that the marks were consistent with someone who has been strangled by hands. The woman never said she was unable to breathe, Unterkoefler wrote.

Flaherty denied strangling the woman.

Craig Crosby — 621-5642

ccrosby@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @CraigCrosby4