A man accused of attacking a woman he didn’t know at a local store will remain behind bars awaiting his next court appearance.

As we reported earlier, bystanders allegedly restrained Benjamin Lee at the Menards store in St. Joseph on Friday March 3. In court documents, St. Joseph Police Detective Chase Cotter says the victim and witness statements match up with store security video that allegedly depicts Benjamin Lee attacking the woman.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, “…the defendant assaulted the victim without provocation…by wrapping his arm around her neck and strangling her.”

“The defendant then brought the victim to the ground and put her head between his legs and pulled upward on her chin,” the affidavit states, and then “…grabbed the victim by the inside of her mouth and began dragging her.”

The victim says she is not from this area, and does not know Lee. She was hospitalized with bruises as well as mouth and neck injuries.  In the court affidavit, Detective Cotter said the victim was “extremely upset and distraught” by the incident.

Lee is being held in the Buchanan County Jail, charged with first-degree assault, a class-b felony. On Tuesday he appeared via video-conferencing before Associate Judge Keith Marquart.  St. Joseph attorney Tim Warren also appeared on Lee’s behalf.  Judge Marquart scheduled the case for a preliminary hearing March 17. The judge said he would also consider a motion to reduce Lee’s $25,000 cash bail at that time.