A man accused of biting off a chunk of a stranger’s ear during a dispute outside a bar in Chehalis early Saturday morning has been charged with first-degree assault in Lewis County Superior Court.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The alleged victim contacted the Chehalis Police Department sometime between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. on Saturday, April 15, to report he was in the hospital “due to having his ear bitten off” in the 310 block of Northwest Chehalis Avenue, according to court documents and police call logs.
According to the victim and the friend he was with, the two were drinking at a bar in that area and saw a man, later identified by bar staff as Skyler R. Schrader, 30, of Centralia, arguing with a woman before leaving the bar. The victim and his friend called a taxi and left the bar at about 2 a.m., at which time Schrader was standing outside. Schrader reportedly “stated something towards them in a challenging manner,” which led to Schrader and the victim getting into a scuffle.
The victim’s friend reported turning away to get into the taxi and turning back to see Schrader and the victim “grappling,” according to court documents. The victim’s friend called for the victim to get into the taxi. When he did, the friend noted the victim “was hunched over in the car and said his head hurt.” When they got back to the friend’s house and turned on a light, the friend reportedly “observed a chunk of (the victim’s) ear was missing,” describing the damage as “like Mike Tyson missing,” according to court documents.
The friend’s account was confirmed by staff at the bar, who said they believed the victim “took offense to how Mr. Schrader was talking to his girlfriend” and said the scuffle lasted for one to two minutes.
Officers who talked to the victim at Providence Centralia Hospital noted the victim was missing 2.5 to 3 inches of his left ear lobe, according to court documents.
After leaving the hospital, an officer searched the 310 block of Northwest Chehalis Avenue and reportedly found “what appeared to be (the victim’s) missing left ear lobe on the ground,” according to court documents.
Schrader was booked into the Lewis County Jail at 2:55 a.m. on Saturday, April 15, according to jail records.
His bail was set at $50,000 over the weekend but was doubled to $100,000 by Lewis County Superior Court Judge Joely Yeager on Monday.
Yeager noted she has dealt with Schrader in previous Lewis County Superior Court cases and said she had “a lot of concern for community safety” regarding this particular case.
“Apparently he doesn’t know how to handle his alcohol or disputes with his girlfriend,” Yeager said during Schrader’s preliminary hearing on Monday, noting that while Schrader has no assault convictions on his record, there are similarities between the current allegations and allegations made in his previous cases.
In addition to setting bail, Yeager approved a no-contact order protecting the alleged victim.
Schrader’s conditions of release include provisions preventing him from consuming alcohol or going to bars or taverns.
Schrader’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, April 18.
