A 32-year-old man accused of assaulting a woman in Ashford in March was arrested Saturday after he allegedly assaulted the same victim a second time.
The suspect, identified as Jacob Michael Criss, of Ashford, is accused of slapping a woman several times and grabbing her around the neck on March 21, 2023, according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court last month.
Lewis County law enforcement reportedly tried to locate Criss between March and June “with negative results,” according to court documents.
At the time, the alleged victim reportedly told law enforcement she believed Criss fled “to somewhere in Bonney Lake” and was possibly operating under an alias, according to Deputy Prosecutor Scott Jackson.
Criss was charged with one count of domestic violence second-degree assault in Lewis County Superior Court on June 13 and a summons notice was sent to his listed mailing address with an order for Criss to appear in person for a preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on July 5. A Lewis County Superior Court judge issued a no-bail warrant for Criss’ arrest that same day after he failed to appear for the hearing.
Over a month later, on July 21, deputies with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to an Ashford residence on a report that a woman had been “beaten up … pretty bad” by Criss, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
The victim in the July 21 report has been identified as the same victim in the March assault.
Criss is accused of grabbing the woman by the throat and covering her mouth during an argument the night of July 20. When she tried to talk after Criss “released pressure,” Criss allegedly “punched her in the face and throat, then choked her again with his right hand,” according to the affidavit.
Responding law enforcement noted the victim had marks on her neck “consistent with being choked,” in addition to bruising around her eyes and “what looked like a floor burn on her right shoulder,” according to the affidavit.
Criss was “eventually apprehended and arrested by police,” according to the affidavit. Jail records indicate he was booked into the Lewis County Jail just after 4:25 p.m. on July 22.
Criss was charged with one count of second-degree assault in the most-recent case.
Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler set Criss’ bail at $100,000 per case during a preliminary hearing on Monday, for a total of $200,000.
The bail amount was recommended by deputy prosecutor Brad Meagher, who cited the “nature of the offense” and community safety concerns as reason for the relatively high bail.
While defense attorney Rachael Tiller argued Criss had no criminal convictions on his record and asked Lawler to not hold Criss’ failure to appear on the summons notice against him because it was sent to an incorrect address, Lawler said neither point was a significant factor in his bail decision.
“These are allegations of repeated physical attacks on the same person, so this is a threat to community safety. This is a threat to her,” Lawler said Monday, referencing the alleged victim.
Lawler additionally approved a no-contact order protecting the alleged victim.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, July 27.
