A Centralia man was arrested Thursday for allegedly grabbing a woman by the throat when she declined to go on a hike with him on April 30.
The victim reported the incident to the Centralia Police Department at about noon on May 2, according to police call logs.
The defendant, Cedric Howlitz, 27, is accused of running down a hallway toward the woman and grabbing her by the throat when she declined to go on a morning hike with him and two children in their care, according to court documents. Howlitz then allegedly threw her down twice, causing a bruise on her shin when her leg hit a dish on a bed.
She reported she “walked away from the home on May 2 ... and headed to the hospital to get her leg looked at.” She reportedly agreed to report the incident after talking to hospital staff, according to court documents.
The responding Centralia officer noted the woman had a 10-inch bruise on her leg and a “finger-sized bruise” on her neck, according to court documents.
During the investigation, officers learned that Howlitz controls the woman’s cellphone account and allegedly “shuts off her cellphone when he gets upset.”
When questioned, Howlitz reportedly told officers he and the woman did go on a hike on April 30 and “denied any argument before leaving.” He additionally “denied knowing anything about a mark on (the woman’s) neck and denied throwing her onto the bed.” He later provided other possible sources for the bruising, according to court documents.
When asked about the woman’s phone, Howlitz reportedly “stated it was a technical issue” through the phone company. He later allegedly admitted to shutting her phone off about once a month.
Howlitz was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail just after 3:45 p.m. on May 2, according to court documents. He was charged May 3 with one count of second-degree assault, domestic violence.
Bail is set at $20,000 and arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, May 9. A no-contact order protecting the victim is in place. The court has also issued an order for Howlitz to surrender all weapons.
