Bail Set at $1 Million for Packwood Man Accused of Attacking Woman

A Packwood man is being held on $1 million bail and is facing an attempted murder charge after he reportedly struck and attempted to strangle and drown his significant other.

The Lewis County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to an address in the 12800 block of U.S. Highway 12 at 4:45 a.m. on Jan. 22 and spoke with the victim, a 37-year-old Parkwood woman. The victim had a large laceration on her head and reported that she had been in a physical dispute with Jence S. Sawyer, 29, of Packwood.

She reported that Sawyer struck her in the face several times during the dispute, strangled her until she passed out, hit her in the head multiple times with a beer bottle and threatened to kill her.

The incident moved from the bedroom into the bathroom, where the victim grabbed the toilet tank lid and struck Sawyer with it, according to Lewis County Superior Court documents. Sawyer again allegedly threatened to kill her and hit her into the side of the bathtub. The victim reported becoming incoherent and regaining her focus with Sawyer holding her head underwater — stopping only when a juvenile witness entered the room.

The juvenile spoke with responding deputies and confirmed the altercation, including the attempted strangulation and drowning, according to Dusty Breen, field operations chief of the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. Breen added that the victim had attempted to call 911 during the altercation, but Sawyer prevented her from doing so. She was transported to Arbor Health Morton Hospital.

When contacted by responding deputies, Sawyer stated that the victim attacked him, but then admitted to striking her multiple times, according to court documents. Sawyer also reportedly admitted to putting his hands around the victim’s neck.

Sawyer was booked into the Lewis County jail and faces one count of second-degree attempted murder, domestic violence, two counts of second-degree assault, domestic violence, one count of unlawful imprisonment, domestic violence, and one count of harassment, threat to kill, domestic violence.

He is scheduled for arraignment in Lewis County Superior Court on Jan. 28.