Bail is set at $100,000 for an Ethel man accused of strangling his girlfriend and taking her phone on Thursday.
Jaric Jaquan Abney, 32, was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at 1:25 p.m. on April 3, according to jail records. He was charged Friday, April 4, in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of second-degree assault, domestic violence; interfering with domestic violence reporting; and first-degree theft.
Abney was arrested after the victim reported the incident to police from a residence in Centralia on Thursday, according to court documents.
According to the victim, she had gotten into a physical altercation with her boyfriend, who she identified as Abney, while she was getting ready for work at about 6 a.m.
The victim reported that Abney “attempted to choke (her) and hit her hand on the counter so that he could grab the phone from her hand,” according to court documents. She reported that “she did not lose the ability to breathe, but added that when he grabbed her neck, she began to hit him on the back of the head, which caused him to let go,” according to court documents.
She reported that “she was unsure of when she told Abney she was going to call 911 — before or after he took the phone from her hand.”
Abney then allegedly took the victim’s phone into the bedroom with him and slammed the door shut. They reportedly yelled at each other through the door before Abney allegedly threw the victim’s phone out of the bedroom window. The victim said she retrieved her phone and went to work.
Responding officers reportedly confirmed that the victim had “red marks and a small cut around her neck” in addition to “a cut on her hand that she said was holding the phone,” according to court documents.
When questioned by a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy, Abney allegedly said he and the victim had gotten into an argument that escalated when the victim “made a derogatory statement,” according to court documents.
He reported that the victim “hit him on the back of the head as he was attempting to walk away,” and said he “turned around and pushed (the victim) away to stop her from hitting him,” according to court documents.
He reportedly mentioned “going to the bedroom door and striking it with his left hand when he was upset.” A responding deputy “observed a hole in the bedroom door consistent with Abney’s statement,” according to court documents.
Abney’s criminal history includes a misdemeanor conviction for fourth-degree assault, domestic violence, that was originally charged as a second-degree assault, domestic violence, according to court documents. The incident that resulted in that conviction involved a different victim than the one involved in this incident.
“It’s extremely concerning to the court not only the allegations here … but also the fact that he was charged with assault in the second degree less than five years ago,” Judge Joely Yeager said during Abney’s preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday, adding that “these types of allegations tend to escalate” and saying she was concerned Abney would reoffend if released on bail.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, April 10.
A no-contact order in favor of the victim is in place.
