Duncan man pleads not guilty to threatening girlfriend multiple times with taser in Clear Lake

CLEAR LAKE — A Duncan man arrested on multiple counts of domestic abuse and threatening a woman with a taser has pleaded not guilty.

28-year-old Benjamin Mehmen was arrested by Clear Lake police on April 18th following a report made to law enforcement in late March of several incidents taking place at a residence in Clear Lake between September 2023 and January of this year. A criminal complaint says Mehmen assaulted his girlfriend in September 2023, strangling and choking her as well as stepping on her throat.

Investigators also say that during that September to January time frame that Mehmen also used a taser to threaten the victim on multiple occasions, using it to chase the victim, hold it within inches of the victim’s face and pressing the trigger to cause an electric arc that the victim could see and hear.

Mehmen was charged with four counts of intimidation with a dangerous weapon, each charge a Class C felony, as well as domestic assault by strangulation, a Class D felony.

Mehman was scheduled to be in court earlier this week for his preliminary hearing, but court records show that he waived that hearing and filed a written plea of not guilty. A trial date has not been set.