A Casper man appeared in Natrona County Initial Appearances before Judge Michael Patchen on Tuesday afternoon.

Douglas Frederick Ryberg, 28, was charged with the following counts:

  1. Aggravated Assault and Battery, a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison
  2. Domestic Battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail
  3. Battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail
  4. Battery, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail
  5. Breach of Peace, a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail

Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Arrache reccomended the judge set bond at $75,000 cash or surety. The judge agreed.

Judge Patchen appointed a Public Defender. Ryberg will have a preliminary hearing in 10 days if he does not bond out and in 20 if he does.

The investigation began when police responded to a report of trespassing on the night of March 13.

Court documents state that when police arrived, the alleged trespasser was nowhere to be found.

A woman told police that Ryberg showed up at the residence uninvited to take money from her. She said she did not want to give him the money as she believed he planned to use it to purchase methamphetamine.

The woman alleged that Ryberg put his hand around her throat and squeezed for about five seconds.

She advised she was able to twist out of his grasp and dash into the house. She also said a neighbor came outside when he heard the disturbance. Ryberg kicked the back-door of the victim's residence open in attempt to get money.

In a separate interview with police, the neighbor says he armed himself with a three-foot-long metal fence post and attempted to "break up the fight." He claims that Ryberg took the fence post from him and hit him in the stomach and struck another witness in the arm. He also said that Ryberg threw the fence post at him like a javeline, just missing him in the process.

Police noted that there was a fence post at the scene, weighing about five pounds, covered in rust and jagged edges. They logged it as evidence.

The second witness struck was inside the house at the time of the altercation. They allege that Ryberg had been trespassed earlier that evening after kicking out a window on the west side of the residence.

While documenting the scene, an officer observed a muddy footprint on the back door.

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