A Chehalis man arrested last week awaits an arraignment on felony domestic violence charges after he allegedly strangled his partner and caused damage to her apartment.
Tell J. Pilz, 30, is charged with two counts of second-degree assault and single counts of second-degree malicious mischief and interfering with domestic violence reporting.
Pilz made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Aug. 5. A judge set bail at $50,000 cash or bond and issued a no-contact order on behalf of the victim.
Pilz is scheduled for an arraignment on Thursday. He has no criminal or warrant history, according to prosecutors.
A probable cause affidavit filed by the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office alleges Pilz punched a hole in a bedroom door and pulled “a few doors” off their hinges after he assaulted his partner.
Pilz also allegedly broke the woman’s phone, preventing her from calling 911.
According to the affidavit, the woman, who was staying at a friend’s apartment when she first spoke with police, said she was worried Pilz was going to kill her.
“She said the physical abuse has been increasing to the point where she was now wanting to report the abuse because she didn't want to die,” the affidavit said.
The woman reportedly gave a recorded phone statement to police describing an assault that had occurred the day before on Aug. 3. Pilz was allegedly angry because he’d arrived at the woman’s apartment to find a mutual friend inside.
After the friend left, Pilz allegedly threw the woman’s phone on the floor and “grabbed her throat” and “lifted her off the ground,” according to the affidavit.
He then allegedly shoved her into a kitchen wall.
The woman reportedly said Pilz had squeezed her throat another time in June.
According to the affidavit, a police officer brought the woman back to her apartment on Aug. 4 and saw the damage to the home.
The officer determined the woman’s bruising was consistent with her account.
