Man charged with assault on 9 mo. pregnant girlfriend

Preston Lethrud, 23, of Bonners Ferry is being held in the Boundary County Jail on $500,000 bond for felony aggravated assault of his pregnant girlfriend.

On Nov. 26, Lethrud began bullying the 9-month-pregnant woman at her home after he got bored playing video games and began drinking, court records allege.

He also is charged with misdemeanor counts of domestic battery and unlawful entry.

When Lethrud’s girlfriend rebuffed his advances, he became verbally abusive.

She calmed him down and drove him to his parents’ home in Bonners Ferry where he then allegedly grabbed a two-by-four from his father’s truck and threatened to stop her.

She stopped the vehicle and he dropped the board, then began beating his fists on the window, which she rolled down so he would not break it.

He grabbed her coat, but she was able to calm him and returned to her Moyie Springs home.

She was asleep on the coach when she woke because someone was banging on a the door.

Court records said Lethrud broke the back door window, let himself in, grabbed her and threw her into the bedroom on the bed.

He then allegedly held a butcher knife to her throat.

The young woman said Lethrud told her he could kill her if he wanted to. He eventually passed out and at 9:45 a.m. and she called 911 to report the incident.

Judge Justin Julian has issued a no-contact order against Lethrud.

A preliminary hearing is set for 1 p.m., Friday Dec. 9, at Boundary County Courthouse.