Nicholas Wentz appeared in Montezuma County Combined Courts on Wednesday, the day after he allegedly assaulted a woman who has a protection order from him.
Wentz was given a $3,000 bond by County Judge Ian MacLaren, despite a $1,000 recommendation for a personal recognizance bond by District Attorney Christian Hatfield and defense lawyer Mallory Taub.
Taub told MacLaren that Wentz was moving back to Durango to live with and support his father, but MacLaren cited concerns for the victim’s safety and public safety, noting that the police report shared that Wentz reportedly told the victim that he would “kill all police, and they will kill me.”
If Wentz’s bail is posted, he will be required to undergo sobriety monitoring in Cortez or Durango and relinquish all firearms within 48 hours. He was also given another protection order, stipulating no contact with the alleged victim. He also is required to remain at least 100 yards from her home.
Wentz’s next hearing was set in 22nd Judicial District Court with Judge William Furse on Jan. 23 at 9 a.m.
According to the police report acquired by The Journal, Wentz reportedly violated a protection order and went to the home of the protected party on North Dolores Road.
At 9:38 p.m. Tuesday, dispatch informed officer Shannon Jennings that the woman was yelling, “Get off me,” while on the 911 call. Police found Wentz was in the back bedroom, and officer Kadan Sharp took him to the Montezuma County Detention Center after medically clearing him at Southwest Memorial Hospital.
The woman told Jennings that Wentz had come to her home that day, left at her request, then returned about 9 p.m. He then refused to leave and “pushed her down onto the couch, got on top of her and shoved her head into the couch,” according to the report.
She attempted to call 911, but Wentz threw her phone and “grabbed her by the neck, preventing her from breathing for about “30 seconds” before slapping the left side of her head.
He also reportedly held a knife to his throat, telling her that he was going to kill himself. He never threatened her with the knife.
Wentz and the woman had been in a relationship for about eight months, but haven’t been together for around a year.
Wentz was booked at the jail on a felony investigation hold. Wentz has violated his protection orders before, but it was the first time he has gotten “this aggressive,” the report said.
