SALISBURY — A man has been arrested after police said he strangled his girlfriend and assaulted her with a knife before threatening to kill her if she did not take him to the store.

The incident began on Monday when the victim returned home from looking at an apartment and found her boyfriend, identified as 36-year-old Cary Markison Chaffin, drunk, according to a spokesperson for the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

Chaffin allegedly became angry with the victim and grabbed her by the neck with both hands and slammed her to the ground. The spokesperson said that he then sat on her and strangled her with both hands before pulling out a knife, holding it to her neck and saying “I could kill you right now.”

Chaffin allegedly then told the victim that he would slit her throat if she did not drive him to the store. The spokesperson said that the victim only escaped the situation by grabbing her keys and acting like she was going to drive him to the store before driving off the second she got in her car.

Deputies reportedly spoke with the victim and observed signs of the assault. They then reportedly went to the home and arrested Chaffin.

Chaffin was charged with felony assault by strangulation, assault with a deadly weapon and communicating threats. He was placed in the Rowan County Detention Center and held without bond pending his first court appearance due to the domestic nature of the allegations.