A candidate for the Lakeview Board of Education in Trumbull County has pleaded not guilty to seven criminal counts after allegedly grabbing a woman by the neck and later threatening her with a hammer.

Stephen Bott, 57, was arraigned Wednesday in Trumbull County Central District Court on one count of strangulation, four counts of domestic violence, and two counts of aggravated menacing. In addition, the court issued a Temporary Protection Order for the alleged victim.

According to a police report from Cortland PD, officers were dispatched to a home on the 100 block of Stonewood Drive shortly after 10:00 p.m. Tuesday in reference to a domestic disturbance.

Officers say that although Bott told them nothing was wrong,  they also interviewed a woman who appeared to be "shaken and embarrassed."

Police also saw some redness and a small abrasion on the front of the alleged victim's neck.

The woman told police that Bott came home from a party drunk and began arguing with her about employment and allegedly calling her slurs such as "sl*t," "wh*re" and "pig."

Bott allegedly grabbed the woman by the neck. According to the report, she never lost consciousness and managed to get away and hide in the bedroom. 

Police say Bott got what they describe as a "mini sledge type" hammer from the garage and began banging on the bedroom door. Police say Bott was yelling threats like "I'm gonna [expletive] hit you! I'm gonna [expletive] kill you!"

The woman told police she was able to get a friend to come over and help her escape through a window and that Bott never actually hit her with the hammer.

The woman refused medical treatment. 

The court set an $80,000 bond for Bott.

Bott is currently in the running for the Lakeview School Board against Jennifer Nicholas and Taylor Pease. 21 News is currently working to learn if this case will affect Bott's campaign in any way.