New boyfriend accused of choking his "baby momma"

Olympia police intervened on Sunday after two women started beating on a man who they say choked one of them.

Christian Rodriguez, 23, is accused of choking his girlfriend in front of her friend, another woman, at approximately 2:30 a.m. on April 25.

Rodriguez’s girlfriend and her female companion were outside an apartment complex, discussing that Rodriguez had been communicating with other women.

Rodriguez came out to join them and “snapped” at his girlfriend, choking her. The two women joined forces in a counter-attack, giving him a busted lip, ripping off his shirt, knocking him to the ground, according to the police report.

Rodriguez’s girlfriend told OPD that her experience during a prior relationship made her vulnerable and wary of abuse. She had warned Rodriguez previously that he “would not put his hands on her.”

The female companion and Rodriguez’s girlfriend attacked Rodriguez. The female companion had bloody knees and blood on her neck and sweatshirt. OPD asked why she was bleeding, and she told them that “I was kicking his ass” because Rodriguez “was doing something stupid to my friend.”

Rodriguez referred to his girlfriend as his “baby momma” and said “I do remember grabbing someone, but I didn’t think it was her.”

Rodriguez was booked into the Olympia jail on simple assault.

Debate at arraignment  [AUDIO BELOW]

During his arraignment on Monday, the question of setting a high bail of $2,000 was debated by the city prosecutor and the public defender.

Olympia Prosecutor Bryanna Pinkston stated that Rodriguez was intoxicated while he assaulting his girlfriend.

Olympia public defender Diana Duch pushed back against Pinkston’s narrative. “In my reading of the probable cause statement, I do not see any reference to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”

Olympia Judge Scott Ahlf placed Pinkston under oath over the intoxication claim.

Pinkston said that the OPD police report narrative by officer Sean O’Brien suggested that Rodriguez was intoxicated at the time of his April 25, 2021 arrest. She cited the report in which Rodriguez stated that he did not know how he got a “busted lip” or why he was shirtless when interviewed by officers.

Olympia Judge Ahlf declined to set a bail provision for Rodriguez. He did set a no-contact order between Rodriguez and the victim in the case. Rodriguez’s court date was set for June 28.