A Louisville man is facing multiple felony charges after police say he strangled the mother of his infant daughter, chased her from their home, and then barricaded himself inside with the baby for hours while a SWAT team surrounded the house. Rick Poore, 33, was arrested following the standoff and arraigned Monday morning, with a judge setting his bond at $50,000.
According to WAVE, police initially responded to a report of an unknown domestic situation on Parkridge Parkway after a neighbor intervened when the victim reached the front yard and allowed her and her children into a car. That neighbor ultimately drove the victim and her children away from the property, according to WDRB, and officers met the victim nearby after her escape. Louisville Metro Police responded to a home in the 7000 block of Parkridge Parkway, per the outlet's report.
Per the citation cited by WDRB, the confrontation began as an argument between Poore and the victim over where their 10-week-old daughter had contracted COVID-19. Police say the dispute escalated when Poore slapped the victim in the face on the back porch and grabbed her several times. The victim escaped into the front yard, where Poore pushed her to the ground, dragged her across concrete, and punched her multiple times, per the citation, as she tried to get away.
Strangulation And a Seized Phone
Officers say Poore strangled the victim for at least 10 to 15 seconds, according to police, leaving her unable to breathe, though she did not lose consciousness during the assault. She was left with a red mark on her neck, scratches on her body, and a large wound on her shin and knee, the outlet reports.
Police say Poore also took the victim's phone and told her she was not allowed to call anyone, then ordered her two other children to stay downstairs. The victim asked those two children to call police despite his orders, according to the report, before she managed to escape the home with her infant daughter. Poore has denied that any altercation occurred, according to police, though he did allude to an argument.
Hours-Long Standoff With Infant Inside
When officers arrived, Poore was still inside the home with his infant daughter, prompting Louisville Metro Police's SWAT team to be called to the scene. Police say Poore refused to cooperate with officers and knew SWAT officers were positioned outside. During the standoff, he reportedly claimed he had just woken up and told family members, “I'm going to make them kill me,” according to the report.
After hours of negotiations, Poore called an officer and was taken into custody shortly afterward. It marks the second Louisville-area domestic violence call in recent weeks to draw a SWAT response — in July, a warrant service in nearby St. Matthews turned into an hours-long standoff after a barricaded suspect shot himself inside a residence.
Charges And What Kentucky Law Says
Poore was charged with first-degree strangulation, domestic violence related; fourth-degree assault; and intimidating a participant in the legal process. Under Kentucky Revised Statutes § 508.175, first-degree strangulation is a Class C felony carrying a potential prison sentence of five to 10 years when committed by intentional strangulation with intent to cause physical injury or death, according to the Kentucky Attorney General. Kentucky lawmakers enacted standalone strangulation statutes in 2019 after recognizing that non-fatal strangulation was being undercharged as misdemeanor assault despite being a high-lethality risk factor in domestic violence cases, per the Farra Law Firm. According to the Kentucky Attorney General, strangulation is understood unequivocally as a lethal form of domestic violence.
The report also says Poore seized the victim's phone and ordered her children to stay downstairs. Fourth-degree assault, meanwhile, is a Class A misdemeanor carrying up to 12 months in jail and a $500 fine, though repeat domestic violence convictions within five years can enhance the charge to a Class D felony, the Farra Law Firm notes.
Bond, Bail Reform, and What Comes Next
Judge Katie King set Poore's bond at $50,000 during Monday's arraignment. That figure comes against the backdrop of Kentucky's Safer Kentucky Act, which was under consideration in January 2024 regarding charitable bail and intimidation, according to the Bluegrass Institute.
Poore is due back in court on August 18. Felony strangulation charges like his typically require grand jury proceedings in Circuit Court, while first-time fourth-degree assault charges more often lead to probated sentences paired with mandatory Batterer Intervention Programs, per the Farra Law Firm's analysis of Kentucky domestic violence prosecutions. It remains unclear whether the victim will pursue a longer-term domestic violence order, and the physical condition of both the victim and the infant following the standoff has not been detailed in available reporting.
The case adds to a steady stream of domestic violence calls handled across the Commonwealth each year. Kentucky law enforcement officers served 17,023 emergency protective and interpersonal protective orders statewide in 2024, according to the Kentucky Justice & Public Safety Cabinet, while domestic violence programs also offer crisis and support services. As with all pending criminal cases, the charges against Poore remain allegations that have not been proven in court.
