Racine police say a 58-year-old man beat up a woman and was so intoxicated that he had to dry out before jail staff would take custody of him.
Emanuel Wilson, of Racine, was charged Monday with one felony count of strangulation and one misdemeanor 
count each of battery, obstruction, and disorderly conduct. If convicted he faces up to 7-3/4 years in prison and/or up to $31,000 in fines.
According to the criminal complaint, officers were called at 2:54 p.m. Saturday to a home in the 1100 block of Villa Street for a report from a passerby of a man beating a woman. When police arrived, a witness at first told them that a man – later identified as Wilson – had been assaulting a woman and pointed to the man who was now sitting on the front porch of a home.
Officers say Wilson said his name was Jermaine but produced a state issued ID with his real name on it. The strong smell of intoxicants was coming from Wilson, and he could barely keep his eyes open. A witness alerted police that the woman involved in the incident was walking nearby so Wilson was taken into custody. He denied that anything had happened.
The woman had two visible injuries to her face and numerous scratch marks on her neck, the complaint reads. She told officers that she and Wilson had gotten into an argument and that he scratched her face and choked her to the point she blacked out. She told police she wanted to press charges.
Wilson, though, continued to deny that anything happened but accused police of setting him up. Officers say they attempted to book him into the Racine County Jail, but his blood alcohol registered .312 so he was transported to the hospital to dry out a bit first. While in the squad car and again at the hospital, Wilson was alternately cooperative and combative, denying anything physical happened between him and the woman and then admitting they argued and he did assault her.
Wilson remains in the Racine County Jail on a $400 cash bond and a $2,000 signature bond. He is ordered to not have any contact with the woman, her family or be anywhere she lives or works and to submit a DNA sample. Wilson is prohibited from possessing or consuming any alcohol and will also undergo urine tests after each court appearance. He is next due in court Sept. 16 for a preliminary hearing.