A Centralia man was arrested Friday and charged Monday in Lewis County Superior Court with three domestic violence crimes, including first-degree theft, unlawful imprisonment and fourth-degree assault.
Luiz Alberto Lopez, 31, was detained after allegedly yelling and screaming at a 56-year-old woman he was living with, shoving her and keeping her locked in a bedroom while threatening her. Bail was set at $50,000 cash or bond, and a no-contact order with the victim or witnesses was established in Lewis County Superior Court.
On July 4, a Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched at approximately 2:11 p.m. to a possible dispute on Ives Road in Centralia. Upon her arrival, she was unable to make contact with anyone at the residence. Shortly after her arrival, she received a call from a 41-year-old woman advising she was with the victim on Windsor Avenue, according to charging documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court.
The caller relayed the victim’s statement to police as the victim only spoke Spanish. The victim has reportedly lived at the Ives Road residence for approximately eight years, while Lopez has been living there for two to three years with the victim’s 29-year-old daughter and is not on the lease, court documents stated.
The victim told police that two hours prior, while she was in her bedroom, Lopez entered and began yelling and swearing at her, according to court documents. She reportedly said she tried to record the incident on her cellphone to document his behavior, which led Lopez to try to take the phone from her. She reportedly held the phone to her right side with both hands in an attempt to keep it away from Lopez. In response, Lopez allegedly wrapped his arms around her in a “bear hug” to reach the phone, according to court documents, then pushed her down with both hands.
The victim said Lopez managed to take her phone when he allegedly shoved her to the ground, causing her to fall backward onto a shelf with decorations and strike her left upper leg on the side of the bed. She said Lopez then left the bedroom, closed the door behind him and allegedly held the handle from the outside to prevent her from leaving. The victim told police that the bedroom, located on the second floor, had no other exit, and that Lopez kept the door shut for about 10 minutes, during which she attempted to open the door three times.
During this time, Lopez allegedly made comments such as, “stay in there until you die,” according to court documents. The victim told police that once Lopez released the door, she left the room and tried to go downstairs. At that point, Lopez allegedly grabbed her and forced her into a seated position on the top step before quickly letting her go. Following an argument, the victim said she was able to get up and leave the residence to seek help from neighbors.
Police observed what appeared to be a light red mark approximately one inch wide with what appeared to be a square shape on the victim’s left shoulder. The victim also told police her leg was “tender” on the side of her left leg, according to court documents.
The following day, another Lewis County deputy was advised of an attempt to locate and probable cause for arrest for Lopez. He was contacted via cellphone by a male who claimed he was Lopez, according to court documents. Lopez agreed to meet with the deputy at the Sinclair gas station in Grand Mound, where he was arrested and transported to Lewis County Jail.
In Lopez’s Monday preliminary hearing, Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer noted that the defendant has very little criminal history but said that community safety and the safety of the victim is the overriding concern, asking Judge Joely Yeager to set bail at $75,000.
Defense Attorney Rachael Tiller informed Yeager that bail was previously set at $50,000 in Lewis County District Court and that Lopez has no means to post bail. Yeager maintained the $50,000 bail cash or bond, citing the allegations and the “somewhat” threats to kill.
The maximum punishment for first-degree theft, domestic violence, is 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, if found guilty. Unlawful imprisonment, domestic violence, carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Arraignment is scheduled for July 10.
