Crook County man gets 13 years in violent attack on wife

A Crook County man was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison Thursday for an alcohol-fueled brutal assault on his wife on New Year’s Day of 2016.

The 160-month sentence was imposed by Circuit Judge Gary Williams, who had convicted Todd Culver, 51, on 18 charges, from assault to attempted rape, after a four-day trial last month, acquitting him only of attempted murder.

Sheriff John Gautney said that during an argument over a New Year’s Eve incident, Culver threw his wife to the floor, hit her numerous times and choked her over about two hours.

The woman’s report she was violently assaulted by her heavily armed husband at their home southeast of Prineville brought out Central Oregon’s SWAT team, and it took the use of a Taser to subdue and arrest Culver, officials said at the time.

“The repulsive nature of the crime that was committed on Jan. 1, 2016 – it just sickens me,” Williams said in pronouncing sentence on charges including unlawful sexual penetration, first-degree attempted rape and unlawful use of a weapon, according to District Attorney Daina Vitolins.

Culver’s former wife, who divorced him after 21 years of marriage, “made a moving statement about survivors and being a survivor of domestic violence,” Vitolins said..

However, Todd Culver “accepted no responsibility for his actions and said that he thought he could, but didn’t receive justice in this case,” the DA said.

Vitolins added, “Domestic violence is simply unacceptable. I believe that Judge Williams sent that message today.”