ZACHARY - Deputies say a Baton Rouge man was arrested Friday after his wife said he tried to strangle her at her home.

East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a home on Buck Horn Drive after a friend said she was driving by the victim’s home and saw a car door open. The friend said she found 39-year-old Edward Higgins and his wife at home. The wife told the friend to leave before Higgins started to beat her again.

At the home, deputies found the front door open and heard two people screaming. Deputies entered the home and separated Higgins and the victim.

Higgins told deputies that he was having an argument with his wife and he left to buy alcohol. When he returned from the store, Higgins said the victim attacked and scratched him.

According to court documents, deputies observed scratches on Higgins' face and cold alcohol on the kitchen counter.

The victim told investigators that she picked up Higgins from jail earlier that day on an unrelated charge. She drove him home and he became upset over a phone call.

The victim said that Higgins started to scream and began breaking things, pushed her down and tried to strangle her. Over the next five hours, Higgins dragged her across the floor on her knees and slammed her head against the floor, the victim said.

The wife also said Higgins flicked cigarettes at her and at one point tried to remove her clothing and said, “I will stop this if you have sex with me.”

Court documents say the victim had bruises and scrapes on both arms, knees, thighs and feet. She also had a swollen ankle and bumps on her head.

Higgins was arrested and transported to the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. He was booked on one count of domestic violence/strangulation and violation of a protective order.