A rural Winnebago man who is a licensed physician is facing three felony counts and a misdemeanor charge.
John Christian Urban, 60, has been charged with domestic assault by strangulation, terroristic threats, three-degree assault – substantial bodily harm and driving while intoxicated.
According to the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, Urban has an active license in the state. A physician data center of state medical boards shows that Urban also has a license from Arkansas.
Tripleanews.com has been unable to confirm whether Urban has ever practiced medicine in the area.
According to court documents, Faribault County authorities responded to a 911 call at 5:23 p.m. on March 1 from a woman saying she was assaulted by her boyfriend.
When Deputy Brittney Gehrking arrived at the rural Winnebago residence, she met with the alleged victim and her daughter.
The woman’s face was swollen, court papers say, and there was blood on her face and around her nose.
Court papers say the victim confronted Urban about his drinking and driving when he arrived at home.
Urban reportedly assaulted the woman in the driveway when he pushed her into a snowbank and began to punch her in the face.
Court papers say that Urban allegedly choked the woman so hard that she could not breathe and said that he was going to kill her.
The alleged assault ended when the woman’s juvenile daughter pulled into the driveway, according to court documents.
Gehrking and Chief Deputy Scott Adams interviewed the girl, who said she did not witness the assault.
Urban reportedly told the girl that her mother had fallen and then got into a vehicle and left the residence.
Deputies obtained the license plate number, make and model of the vehicle Urban was driving and waited in the driveway until he returned home.
Around 8:42 p.m., a vehicle moving slowly, stopping frequently and having its headlights turned on and off several times approached the residence.
Urban reportedly pulled out of the driveway when he saw Adams squad car and drove east on 225th Street.
Court documents say Urban eventually stopped after being pursued by Adams and Gehrking and that the deputies drew their weapons when he refused to get out of his vehicle.
Gehrking was able to place handcuffs on Urban and a knife was found when he was patted down.
Deputies performed a field sobriety test after noticing Urban’s eyes were bloodshot and watery and detecting an odor of alcohol. He reportedly had a blood-alcohol level content of .13.
Urban’s initial court appearance in Faribault County District Court is scheduled for March 16.