Marion man charged with felony assault

A Marion man is charged with strangling a woman after a recent incident in the Marion area.

Nicholas Ryan McVay, 40, faces a maximum term of five years in Montana State Prison on one felony count of partner or family member assault, strangulation.

According to the criminal complaint, two Flathead County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a gas station convenience store in Marion after a woman called 911 from there to report that McVay had allegedly beaten her for the last five days before she escaped. She said she had to end the call because McVay had entered the store.

Before deputies made it to the store, they learned she was being taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The victim alleged she had been beaten by McVay in a shack at a local junkyard. She said she had been unable to leave McVay and didn’t own her own phone. She said she walked to the store with McVay, but went inside alone and called 911 before McVay entered. The two then left together and she alleged McVay grabbed her in a choke-hold and dropped her to the pavement.

The victim said she felt like she was going to pass out and deputies noted she had a raspy voice, several bruises on her shin, arm, back and back of her neck. Her face was red and she complained of pain in her chest.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 406-758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com