An Alma Center man has been charged after an incident on Christmas Day where he reportedly threatened to kill his ex-girlfriend, threatened a state trooper’s family and then beat up an emergency room doctor.

Justin J. Baxter, 24, was charged in Jackson County Circuit Court earlier this month with burglary of a building with use of a dangerous weapon, strangulation and suffocation, battery to an emergency rescue worker, substantial battery and carrying a concealed weapon.

He also is charged with operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting an officer, disorderly conduct, felony intimidation of a victim and misdemeanor theft.

According to the criminal complaint, Baxter stole a 2002 Ford pickup truck — hitting another vehicle in the process — and drove to his ex-girlfriend’s house in Black River Falls.

The woman told authorities she and Baxter had recently broken up, and he had been text messaging her that he was going to kill her. Just before 3 a.m. on Dec. 25, the woman awoke to find Baxter standing over her bed with a knife stating he was high off prescription medication and alcohol and he was going to kill her, according to the complaint.

When the woman tried to reach for her cell phone, Baxter reportedly pushed her to the floor and began choking her; when she slapped at him, he punched her. The woman stated Baxter was distracted when her daughter awoke in the next room, and she was able to escape with her daughter and go to the neighbor’s and call the police.

According to the complaint, Baxter left the woman’s house after taking her cell phone and $50 from her wallet, but he was located at 3:20 a.m. when the Wisconsin State Patrol was dispatched to a vehicle in the ditch on Interstate 94 between Black River Falls and Millston.

State Trooper Jason Bakken removed two knives from Baxter’s jacket and a pipe used for smoking marijuana, and Baxter became verbally abusive when he was refused a cigarette, according to the complaint. When EMTs arrived to treat Baxter for a cut on his hand, he punched an ambulance window and a sheriff’s deputy had to draw his Taser before Baxter as subdued. While Bakken transported Baxter to Black River Memorial Hospital, Baxter reportedly threatened Bakken’s life and said he would “take care of” the trooper’s children as well.

Police were dispatched to the BRMH emergency room at about 5:30 a.m. when Baxter became disorderly after staff would not let him go outside and smoke a cigarette. Baxter reportedly punched Dr. David Merritt in the face, and Merritt was later treated for a broken thumb.

Baxter has a pre-trial conference scheduled for Jan. 27. All charges consider Baxter a habitual criminal following his 2005 felony conviction of manufacturing/delivering marijuana.