Christopher Dean Knutson, 29, Minot, was sentenced on Friday to a year in jail, all suspended but the 27 days he has already served in the Ward County Jail, and two years of supervised probation for strangling his girlfriend on June 4 and cutting her with a knife during a domestic altercation.

Judge Todd Cresap also ordered Knutson to obtain a chemical dependency evaluation, to obtain a psychological evaluation, to complete a domestic violence offenders course, to have no contact with the victim, and to pay $525 in court costs. If he successfully completes probation, the C felony aggravated assault charge will be reduced to a Class A misdemeanor.

Knutson and his girlfriend had been drinking and arguing on June 4. Knutson had told police he was depressed and grabbed the knife and stabbed himself in the hand. He claimed his girlfriend cut herself while she was trying to take the knife away from him. The woman told police that Knutson threw her to the ground earlier in the day and had also strangled her. She told police that Knutson was angry and attacked her with the knife. She grabbed the knife and she was cut on her right hand when Knutson pulled the knife back. Knutson acknowledged in court on Friday that the woman’s account in the affidavit was accurate.