PD: City Man With Long Record Choked, Threatened to Kill Girlfriend

A city man with a record of convictions stemming as far back as 2004 was arrested after trying to choke his girlfriend after an argument, according to Middletown Police.

On May 30 at 8:30 p.m., police were called to an apartment on Main Street. Gary L. Steele Sr., 46, of Newfield Street was arguing with a woman at an apartment on Main Street, the report says, and came to the door shirtless, out of breath and sweating.

He said the two were just "expressing themselves." The woman, however was breathing heavily, the report says, seated on the floor and crying hysterically and asked that Steele leave because she was afraid.

The report says Steele choked her, pinned her on the bed and repeatedly pushed her down, while he allegedly told her to be quiet and "he was going to kill her because he loves her."

Steele, the victim told officers, made a copy of her apartment key without her permission and was afraid he would kill her when he was released from jail, according to the report.

He was charged with disorderly conduct, third-degree assault, threatening, second-degree strangulation and second-degree unlawful restraint.

Steele has a long record of convictions, according to the Connecticut Judicial website, including second-degree harassment from March 2012, breach of peace from October 2012, failure to appear from 2006, disorderly conduct from 2004, and giving a false statement in 2004.

He's being held on a $15,000 bond and due back in court on June 25.