A man accused of assaulting a woman in front of a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy and a civilian in Chehalis on Thursday is facing assault charges in Lewis County Superior Court.
The man, identified as Nicholas William Dalton, 26, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail at 9:35 a.m. on March 28. A Chehalis police officer had been dispatched to assist a deputy who “witnessed the male put his hands around the female’s throat” at the intersection of Southwest Cascade Avenue and Southwest Fourth Street, according to court documents.
A civilian witness reported she had been driving by when she saw “a male yelling loudly at a female” and “pulled over to tell the male to stop, as the female appeared scared and the female had been backed up against a fence,” according to court documents.
The witness reported the male, later identified as Dalton, was “poking at the female's face” and was “very angry.”
She reported she “was about to call 911 when a Lewis County deputy drove by and ended up stopping to contact the involved parties,” according to court documents.
The deputy reported he was driving in the area when he saw Dalton use both hands to grab the female by the throat and push her into the fence. He told the responding Chehalis officer he “immediately stopped and turned around to make contact” and kept the two parties separated until Chehalis police arrived.
The responding Chehalis officer reportedly observed “obvious red marks on (the woman’s) neck.”
The woman reportedly told the officer she and Dalton were walking when she tried to break up with him, “which caused a verbal argument that escalated into being physical,” according to court documents.
When questioned, Dalton allegedly “made a statement that he was frustrated and being stupid” and reportedly “told the deputy to just take him to jail for putting his hands on the female.”
He allegedly admitted to “putting his hands on (the woman) twice,” according to court documents.
He was charged Friday, March 29 with one count each of second-degree assault, domestic violence and fourth-degree assault, domestic violence.
Bail is set at $50,000.
Arraignment is scheduled for April 11.
A no-contact order protecting the victim is in place.
