A Harford County grand jury indicted a Baltimore man on 48 charges for allegedly influencing his girlfriend to not testify against him in a case in which he is accused of strangling her and throwing their 5-month-old child at her in her home in Edgewood.

The 48 charges range from violation of a protective order to violation of conditions of pretrial release and a felony count of intimidation and influence of a witness. Authorities allege that Jonathan Brice, 36, of Gwynn Oak, called the victim more than 1,000 times over five months urging her to not testify in his assault case.

According to charging documents, Brice’s assault case dates to July 5, 2023, when an officer responded to the victim’s home in Sky Blue Court, Edgewood.

The victim told police that Brice had been drinking and accused her of cheating on because the child they had recently did not have “the same skin color” as him, according to the documents.

Charging documents say that the victim told police that Brice began to destroy items in the house and threw a piece of wood in the direction of the sleeping child — missing the child and breaking a window.

The victim told police that Brice then began to hit her and strangle her. Charging documents say the victim told police that she did not lose consciousness but stated “it was hard to breathe.”

Before Brice left the house, charging documents say the victim told police that he grabbed the 5-month-old and said, “If he really is mine, you will catch him” and threw the child toward the victim, who caught the infant.

Police were notified by the victim after Brice left the home with their other child, according to charging documents.

Court records indicate Brice wasn’t served with an arrest warrant for the matter until May 2024 after he was indicted by a Harford County grand jury the previous August on charges including first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment.

He was ordered held without bail.

The victim was subpoenaed in November to appear for Brice’s pre-trial hearing and trial, which were scheduled for Jan. 6 and Jan. 7.

In court documents, Harford County Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Alvarez said between May 17 and Oct. 15 last year, Brice contacted the victim via a recorded call more than 1,000 times and instructed her to tell the court she exaggerated the events of July 5, 2023.

Alvarez alleged in court documents that Brice informed the victim to “plead the 5th at trial,” and to “simply not show up to court so that his case is dismissed.”

Between June 22 and July 7 last year, Alvarez   alleged in court documents that Brice had called the victim 133 times and persuaded her to marry him based on “his mistaken belief that she could invoke her spousal privilege.”

According to Alvarez, a marriage certificate was signed July 7, 2024.

In text messages between Alvarez and the victim dated Jan. 5 — one day ahead of Brice’s pre-trial hearing — Alvarez appears to inform the victim of the possibility that the courthouse could be closed the following day due to the anticipated snowstorm, according to court documents.

Ten minutes later, Alvarez messaged the victim informing her that she was “concerned” the victim “may be receiving incorrect legal advice” — alluding to the victim’s conversations with Brice — and informed her that, should she fail to appear in court, the court could issue a body attachment to ensure her presence at the trial, documents show.

On Jan. 6, the courthouse was closed due to inclement weather. Alvarez contacted the victim via text and told her to arrive at the Harford Circuit Court at 10:30 a.m. the next day. At 11:13 a.m. the next day, Alvarez texted the victim asking why she was not present. She responded that she could not attend the hearing because of lack of childcare, poor road conditions and her vehicle not being in “the best condition right now to be driving in the snow,” according to court documents.

The trial in Brice’s assault case was postponed until April 28.

After the victim failed to appear, a grand jury indicted Brice on 48 charges relating to intimidation, obstruction of justice, violation of a protective order and more. A hearing for the new charges is scheduled for Jan. 27.

Have a news tip Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@baltsun.com, 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.