WELCOME — A 35-year-old Welcome man is facing felony charges in Martin County.

Ryan Leonard Howell has been charged with two counts of domestic assault. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the complaint:

At 6:43 p.m. Feb. 20, a sergeant with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 1200 block of 70th Street in rural Welcome on a report of a domestic. The caller indicated Howell was being combative and making threats.

Upon arrival, the sergeant met with a man inside the residence who said Howell had been drinking alcohol in violation of his probation and had taken an unknown quantity of his medication. The man said Howell had struck him with his left hand and on the left side of his face, and had thrown an object at him. The man indicated Howell was upstairs.

The sergeant went upstairs to speak with Howell but was unable to locate him. There was an open window that led to the roof, and officers determined Howell had gone out through the window. Officers were unable to locate Howell.

The sergeant later took a phone call from the man, who said Howell was back at the house and was passed out in a chair. The sergeant returned to the residence to find Howell in a chair in the kitchen, having shallow breathing and being unresponsive. The sergeant was shown the bottle of medications that Howell had taken, and called for first responders.

Medical personnel did the sternum rub on Howell, after which he yelled and became combative. Howell was then restrained and transported to the hospital.

A check on Howell’s criminal record indicates he has a conviction for domestic assault in 2015, and a conviction for felony domestic assault in 2017.

Howell remains hospitalized while being treated for his condition.