Pocatello man charged for allegedly punching, pulling knife on woman

POCATELLO — A man police say punched a woman before holding a knife to her face and threatening to kill her has been charged with multiple crimes.

William Donald Wood, 43, faces a felony charge for aggravated assault and a misdemeanor charge for domestic battery, court records show.

Pocatello police got a call on Feb. 23 around 3:15 p.m., according to an affidavit of probable cause.

When officers arrived at a home on Griffith Road, the victim said Wood had already left the area. She told officers they were arguing when Wood hit her “with a closed right fist just below the right eye.”

Officers described swelling and redness near the victim’s eye.

The woman said Wood also hit her on the back of the neck and officers noted redness.

After hitting the victim, Wood reportedly picked up a steak knife that was inside the home and threatened to kill the victim.

The victim told officers that Wood held the knife near her right eye and threatened to kill her multiple times.

“Please don’t kill me,” the victim screamed, according to police.

Wood held the knife to his own neck and told the victim that if she did not kill him he would kill her, the victim told police.

The victim got free from Wood and ran outside. While outside, she said Wood grabbed her and tried to pull her back inside the home, but he realized neighbors were watching and she escaped.

Police reports show that Wood returned to the home while officers were there. He was arrested and taken to Bannock County Jail.

He was released the following day with a no-contact order barring him from seeing the victim.

If he is found guilty, Wood could face up to five and a half years in prison.

He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing before magistrate judge Carol Tippi Jarman on March 6.

Though Wood has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.