Man charged after allegedly strangling woman at Bowling Green park

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – A man is charged with strangulation after allegedly choking a woman at H.D Carpenter Park in Bowling Green on Saturday

According to a uniform citation, the Bowling Green Police Department responded to 621 State St. for a reported delayed assault.

At the scene, police say they made contact with the victim, who had “visible redness around her neck.” According to police, the victim stated she was at H.D Carpenter Park when a man, identified as 48-year-old Cecil Roark II of Glasgow, Kentucky, began yelling at her.

According to police, the victim stated Roark told her to leave the park and called her names before threatening to choke her. Police say the victim stated she told Roark “to leave her alone and she did not want any problems.”

The uniform citation states Roark then began to choke the victim until she could not breathe before releasing her.

Police say a bystander that was present during the incident gave the victim a ride to a nearby gas station and contacted law enforcement once they were at Circus Square Park.

According to police, the bystander stated he was 15 to 20 feet away at the time of the incident and that Roark threatened to choke the victim several times and called her names after telling her to leave. Police say the bystander stated Roark choked the victim for about 10 seconds.

The uniform citation states the victim and bystander stated the suspect’s name was Cecil but did not know his last name.

Once police made contact with Roark, they say he stated there was no altercation at the park that day and that he sat by himself away from everyone.

Roark was taken into custody and transported to the Warren County Detention Center. He faces a charge of first-degree strangulation.