WINONA, Minn. — Police rescued a woman from a garage in which she said she locked herself to escape from an abusive boyfriend. Officers said the woman, age 41, was swollen and bruised. This was about 12:50 a.m. in the 400 block of Mankato Avenue. The assault, she said, had been in the house — that she was pushed backward onto bed, grabbed by the feet and pulled forward, and fell to the floor. Her elbow still hurt, she told officers. She said she kicked the boyfriend and ran to the detached garage in the alley and locked herself in. From there she called 911. Within an hour police located James Robert Hernstine, age 46, a couple blocks away on Chatfield Street. He denied any physical assault and said he had been locked nut and left for some fresh air. He was booked for domestic assault.
