Judge Sets $90,000 Bond For Man Accused Of Attempting To Burn, Strangle Girlfriend
By: Ken Curtis
Updated: October 29, 2012
A Houston County judge has set bonds totaling $90,000 for a man accused of torturing his girlfriend and abusing her two month old child.
Ivan Mills, 29, was arrested earlier this month by Dothan police who claim he abused the woman and child at an apartment where they live. Specifically, Mills is charged with one count each of Domestic Violence involving strangulation and Child Abuse.
District Judge Benjamin Lewis, in a hearing Monday morning, set bond at $60,000 on the Domestic Violence allegation and $30,000 on the Child Abuse charge.
In a October 22 court filing, Assistant District Attorney Kristen Shields claimed Mills forced the woman and child inside a bedroom closet where he threatened to kill the woman with whom police claim he had an ongoing relationship.
Additionally, police claim Mills tried to choke the victim with his hands and, later, with a T-shirt. He then, according to court documents, went to turn on the stove and plug in an iron with the intent of burning his girlfriend. She then ran from the home.
In her filing, Shields termed the cases "egregious, frightening, and disturbing," and requested a judge increase bond from a combined total of $300,000. Bail was initially set at $60,000 on each case. After Shields' filing, Mills was ordered held without bond pending the Monday hearing.
Lewis ruled, if Mills makes bond, he must pay for electronic monitoring and can have no contact with the woman or her child. Lewis, as is customary in such cases, ruled Mills must also sign a waiver of extradition prior to release.
