By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

GOLD HILL — A Kannapolis man was behind bars Wednesday after authorities say he assaulted his girlfriend, held a gun to her head and prevented her from calling for help.

He is being held at the Rowan County jail without bond.

Matthew Caleb Irvin, 23, of the 1900 block of Stonewyck Avenue, was charged with felony assault by strangulation, misdemeanor assault by pointing a gun, and misdemeanor false imprisonment.

Rowan County authorities received a call Tuesday to 260 Liberty Road in Gold Hill, where they met with Katelyn Pandolfino and her father, Dennis. Pandolfino said her boyfriend, Matthew Irvin, had been charged with driving while impaired and released earlier that day. She called her father to explain to him what happened, and Irvin became angry that she told her father.

He assaulted her while they were inside the home, Pandolfino said.

Pandolfino ran outside, and Irvin chased her, knocked her down and dragged her back inside. She told authorities Irvin broke her phone so she couldn’t call for help. He choked her more than once and kept her from leaving the house, she said.

Padofino said Irvin held a gun to her head and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the assault. Irvin threatened to hurt her father, she told a deputy.

After Irvin fell asleep, Pandolfino’s father arrived home and she told him about the assault. Irvin was still asleep when a Rowan County sheriff’s deputy arrived. The deputy found a pistol lying on a dresser.

Irvin has pending court cases in both Rowan and Cabarrus counties for a number of traffic infractions including driving while impaired, expired registration or tag, tinted window violation, driving while license revoked, and failing to maintain lane control.