An Old Orchard Beach man that police have accused of choking and beating a woman over the July Fourth weekend has been charged with domestic violence aggravated assault.

Christopher Thornton, 30, lived with the victim and four children at the Cedar Avenue home where the assault allegedly took place Saturday night, police said.

Officers were called around 6:26 p.m. to the home by the victim, who told officers Thornton struck her several times and choked her during the assault, Captain David Hemingway said in a news releases. Police said Thornton threatened to kill the woman and prevented her from reporting the incident.

The victim had to be transported to Southern Maine Healthcare for multiple, non-life threatening injuries, Hemingway said. At the time of the assault, four children between the ages of 5 and 14 were in the home. Hemingway did not say whether the children witnessed the attack.

Police said Thornton fled from the home after they arrived, but returned later that evening. He was located  around 11:08 p.m. Saturday hiding in the basement of the home. He was arrested and charged with domestic violence aggravated assault, a Class A felony, domestic violence terrorizing, and obstructing the report of a crime.  Thornton was being held without bail at the York County Jail on Tuesday night.