MANCHESTER - An officer was choked Thursday night by a man he was trying to arrest for assaulting a woman, police said.

Officer Matthew Barter suffered minor injuries to his neck in the 5:30 p.m. incident at Elm and Merrimack streets.

Barter was on patrol when he was flagged down by a man who reported seeing another man repeatedly strike a woman as she walked away from a heated argument.

The witness told police when the man, identified as Eduardo Lages, 24, of 65 Malvern St., saw him on the phone to 911, he started towards him. Just at that moment, however, the witness saw Barter's police cruiser driving nearby and flagged him down.

Barter approached the couple, who by then were sitting on a motorcycle stopped nearby. He asked Lages to dismount but police said he refused.

The officer then tried to get him off the motorcycle but Lages allegedly resisted and fought with him. During the struggle, police said Lages hit Barter and grabbed him by the throat, squeezing so tightly it restricted his airflow.

The officer was able to break free, gain control of Lages and arrest him. Police said Lages continued his belligerent behavior and refused to stop shouting and using profanities.

The assault victim, identified as Jessica Bouchard, 23, of 63 Malvern St., allegedly tried to intervene and threw her sunglasses at another officer, in protest of Lages' arrest. She subsequently was arrested after a brief struggle.

Lages is charged with four counts of simple assault; criminal threatening; second degree assault; resisting detention; resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

Bouchard is charged with simple assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.