Yet Another Missoula Man Charged With Strangulation

Missoula Police received a distress call around 9:37 Monday night, December 11, from a woman near Cooper Street.

"Officers responded to the report of a disturbance at a residence in the 1600 block of Cooper street," said Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh explains. "A female caller stated that she had been in an argument with her boyfriend and that at one point he had attempted to strangle her, that he had his hands around her throat and that she was able to push against him and get away from him."

The police report says the fight had begun as a "disagreement over past relationships", before things became violent. Welsh says the woman called authorities from outside.

"When officers arrived, they found the female a short distance from the residence and discovered evidence of injury," Welsh said. "After taking her statement, they went to the residence and made contact with the male, Roger Vancleve, a 35-year-old male, who was taken into custody without incident."

The state of Montana put a new Strangulation Of Partner Or Family Member felony charge on the books during recent legislative session, it has already been put to use in Missoula multiple times.