Bellingham man tried to get his assault victim to change her story, police say

A 34-year-old man already facing charges of second-degree assault and first-degree malicious mischief was arrested again Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly broke a protective order and attempted to get a woman to change her statement to police.

Bellingham Police booked Robert Curtis Smith into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of violating a protection order, violation of the firearms and dangerous weapons act and witness tampering.

According to court documents filed Monday, a woman that Smith is familiar with reported Oct. 10 that she was assaulted by Smith earlier that day. Smith allegedly jumped on the victim as she was laying in bed, put a pillow over her face and used his other hand to strangle her, according to court records. The woman told police she could not breathe but did not lose consciousness.

In weeks leading up to the reported attack, Smith pushed her up against a wall and tried to pull out her nose ring, she told police.

Court documents show he also purposely damaged furniture in her house, broke eight cell phones, keyed her car and attempted to carve a derogatory word into the dash of her car — a total property damage of approximately $7,900.

A no-contact order was filed against Smith Oct. 11, court records state, prohibiting him from contacting the woman or coming within 500 feet of her. Jail records show Smith was released that day on $10,000 bail.

The assault and malicious mischief charges were filed against Smith on Monday in Whatcom County Superior Court by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Evan Jones.

On Oct. 16, dispatchers got a 911 call with an open line, according to Bellingham Lt. Claudia Murphy in an email Thursday to The Bellingham Herald. An investigation into that call determined that Smith was with the woman, Murphy said, in violation of the no-contact order.

Murphy said further investigation also showed that Smith spoke to the woman on the telephone and attempted to direct her to change her original statement to police.

Smith was scheduled to make his first appearance on the most recent charges Thursday afternoon.

This story was originally published October 18, 2018 at 1:34 PM.