Woman strangled outside of McDonalds

A 26-year-old female was strangled by her boyfriend outside McDonalds on the west side of Bloomington on August 8 at 1:16 a.m.

Eric Blackwell, age 25, along with four other people had been drinking at the bars and decided to go to McDonalds. A 26-year-old friend was the designated driver and Blackwell’s girlfriend and sister were also in the car.

Blackwell told police that “they went to McDonald’s and there was a problem with their order and they went back to get it fixed but McDonald’s locked the door on them,” Sgt. Jeff Canada of the Bloomington Police Department said. He also said that after they left the food in front of the door and got into the car. He said that his girlfriend started striking him in the face and then his friend started chocking him from behind and then he walked away and called the police.

However, the friend who was the designated driver has a different version to the story. He said they were out at the bars and they went to McDonalds and there was a problem with their order. He said that Blackwell was “enraged and started striking and strangling his girlfriend when they got into the car,” Canada said. He said that he climbed into the backseat after they reached their residence on East Third Street and began choking Blackwell long enough for his girlfriend to leave the car.

The 26-year-old female had neck and throat injuries and a cut on her elbow. She was pushed down several times and she was strangled until she felt woozy and losing consciousness. She told police that she believed that the 26-year-old male saved her life, Canada said.

Blackwell was arrested for battery, strangulation and public intoxication.

 – Alex Rast