Orcas man convicted for domestic violence

Colt Lee Hausauer, 31, of Orcas Island, was convicted in San Juan County District Court on Jan. 30 of assault in the fourth degree – domestic violence. He pleaded guilty to the charge.

Hausauer received a two-year suspended sentence with two days spent in jail; was ordered to 28 days of electronic home monitoring with work release; received a fine of $5,000 with $4,500 suspended; and was issued a domestic violence no-contact order. He must also seek treatment for substance abuse. Hausauer’s criminal history is unknown, as that information is not included in district court documents.

According to the probable cause statement, a deputy was dispatched to a residence in Eastsound at noon on Jan. 6. The victim had called and said Hausauer assaulted her the night before and was leaving in her car.

According to the deputy’s report, the victim was seated on the stairs leading up to her apartment door. Her face was “very swollen” and her left eye was completely shut due to the swelling. He asked the victim if she wanted medical attention. She declined at first but ultimately agreed, and emergency medical services were dispatched to the address.

The deputy asked where Hausauer was, as her car was still there, and she said he was inside the apartment. Hausauer walked out the door moments later. The deputy took him down the stairs to discuss what had happened. According to court documents, Hausauer said that he and the victim had come home intoxicated the night before and she fell down the stairs – approximately 13 steps. Hausauer said he helped the victim after she fell, giving her ice for her head. He recorded video of himself as he helped her, saying she had fallen. Hausauer signed a voluntary statement of what he said happened. There had been no witnesses.

Emergency medical technicians said the injuries were just to her face and that it was possible her jaw was fractured. The extent of the victim’s injuries was not detailed further in court documents.

The deputy spoke again to the victim, who said she and Hausauer had returned home from a friend’s house the night before and she fell asleep. She woke up to him yelling at her about texts he found on her phone and then began punching her in the face. She said Hausauer apologized the following morning and asked her to not call the police. According to the victim, he said that if she called the police, he would say she fell down the stairs.