WINONA Minn. – A simmering issue between housemates over the tidiness of their place escalated into one of them in jail on a raft of criminal charges. The finale began when police were called to 550 residential block of Olmstead Street on the West Side about a gun being pointed at a woman. She told police that her housemate, Brayn Yaret Garcia Baruch, 19, had held a black long gun on her in her room and hit and choked her. Police said Garcia Baruch claimed he must have blacked out and apologized. They took him anyway. The woman told police of a saga of friction over two days. It began Sunday, she said, when Garcia Burch pointed a loaded pump-action gun at her. On Tuesday night, Garcia Baruch was in her room with the gun. In an argument regarding the tidiness of the residence, she said, Garcia Baruch grabbed her by the throat. Garcia Baruch told police he thinks he blacked out during the encounter. The woman made no mention of the argument to police. Her story was that Garcia Baruch began touching her inappropriately, which she rebuffed. Garcia Baruch, she said, became angry and grabbed the by the throat. “You like that, huh?” she quoted him. About being choked, she said, she couldn’t breathe and felt like she was going to pass out, Garcia Baruch, meanwhile, was hitting her with his free hand, she said, Eventually, she said, she pushed Garcia Baruch off of her, called a friend, and fled. Police later made contact with Garcia Baruch, whom they said confirmed he had been in his housemate’s room and that he grabbed her by the throat. He denied touching her sexually. He also denied pointing a gun at her. Garcia Baruch did admit to owning two guns, including a shotgun, police said.
Garcia Baruch. Facing charges of domestic assault, instilling fear, domestic assault by strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon, sexual misconduct.