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A Chehalis man accused of strangling his girlfriend and trapping her in her home so she couldn’t call the police in early December was arrested Thursday on a $50,000 warrant.
A Lewis County Superior Court judge ruled Friday to uphold that bail amount.
Anthony Parker Johnson, 32, is accused of strangling a woman on Dec. 6 at a residence in the 100 block of Yetter Lane and trapping her in the home so she couldn’t report the assault to police.
The incident was reported to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office two days later, on Dec. 8, after deputies responded to a report of a dispute at the same residence.
In that incident, Johnson reportedly got into an argument with his girlfriend over the volume of music that was playing from a speaker. He allegedly threw the speaker outside into the rain, “chest bumped” the victim in an “intimidation technique,” and tried to take her phone when she mentioned calling the police. He allegedly fled on foot after failing to take the victim’s phone from her, according to court documents.
The responding deputy reportedly noticed a large bruise on the victim’s body when talking to her about the Dec. 8 incident. When prompted, she reportedly said the bruise came from Johnson assaulting her two nights prior.
Johnson and the victim reportedly got into an argument that escalated to physical violence when the victim said she was going to leave, according to court documents.
Johnson allegedly repeatedly expressed fear that the victim would “call the cops” and held the victim “hostage” inside the home while repeatedly attacking her.
She reportedly told the deputy that “she is fearful of violence if she calls the police after a physical incident,” according to court documents.
The deputy took note of multiple injuries on the victim’s body, including bruising and scratches on her neck consistent with strangulation.
A witness who was at the house with the victim on Dec. 8 reported that the only reason she was at the house was due to Johnson’s repeated aggressive behavior toward the victim.
The witness reportedly said that the victim was “trying to give Anthony a chance to ‘change’” for the sake of a child they have in common, according to court documents.
The victim reported that Johnson has “anger issues in which he always takes it out on her with physical violence,” according to court documents.
Johnson was believed to be hiding in the woods or with the tenants of camping trailers near the Yetter Lane address while a deputy was talking with the victim.
Deputies searched the property and surrounding area for approximately 20 minutes and were unable to locate him.
One deputy who is familiar with Johnson noted that Johnson is known to evade police “when he believes he is in trouble,” and noted that the tenants of the nearby camp trailers refused to open their doors for police.
Johnson was charged Dec. 30 with one count each of second-degree assault, domestic violence; fourth-degree assault, domestic violence; and interfering with domestic violence reporting. A $50,000 arrest warrant was issued that same day.
Arraignment is scheduled for Jan. 8.
A no-contact order in favor of the victim is in place.
