By Jacob Mathias

A Wisconsin Rapids man faces felonious mayhem charges after allegedly biting off part of his girlfriend’s ear.

Jacob Roginski, 24, is charged with felonious mayhem which carries a maximum sentence of up to 40 years imprisonment, or a $100,000 fine or both if convicted. He is also charged with intimidation of a victim with a sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment, or a $25,000 fine or both. A false imprisonment charge could add up to six years imprisonment, or a $10,000 fine or both.

According to court documents, on July 16 a Grand Rapids Police officer began investigating a mayhem complaint that took place on Two Mile Ave. in the Town of Grand Rapids. The officer made contact with a female victim who said one month earlier Roginski, her then-boyfriend, assaulted her in a vehicle and bit off part of her ear.

The victim said on June 5, Roginski had gotten angry with her for texting while they were driving and accused her of texting another man. He grabbed the phone from her and threw it out the vehicle’s window. The victim told him to stop the car so she could retrieve her phone as she was concerned that if he became abusive she would have no way to call for help.

Instead of stopping, he reportedly accelerated away.

The two began to fight over the steering wheel. The victim was on the defendant’s lap with her foot on the break while he pushed the accelerator. She was eventually able to shift the vehicle into park and it came to stop on the 2800 block of Two Mile Ave.

Roginski then allegedly grabbed the victim’s head and bit down on her left ear with such force that a large chuck of the upper ear was removed. He still would not let the victim out of his truck and instead drove to his parents’ house.

The victim had reconstructive surgery of her ear on June 11. The reporting officer said the ear is healing but there is extensive scarring along with extreme sensitivity and pain.

The investigating officer spoke with a police department witness who was at a picnic on Two Mile Ave. on the day of said incident. The witness identified the vehicle matching Roginski’s and said he heard a female screaming, “Jake, you’re f****** crazy.”

On August 5, the victim recanted her original statement and told the investigating office she’d lied about everything and Roginski did none of the things of which she originally accused him. She refused to tell the officer who bit her and said she didn’t care if she got in trouble for lying as she didn’t want Roginski to get in trouble for something he didn’t do.

About a week later, the victim revealed Roginski had been making threats to harm her family if she didn’t recant her statement. She hoped that if the charges against him were dropped, he would leave her family alone. She said she was very afraid of what he may do to her family.

On September 26, Roginski reportedly broke into the home of the victim on the 900 block of 2nd Ave. S. She said he kicked in the door, damaging it and the frame before coming into her bedroom and knocking over her dresser and other items. He left the house and returned a short while later and knocked the porch railing off its setting.

He now also faces misdemeanor charges of criminal damage to property and criminal trespass to a dwelling which both carry a maximum sentence of up to nine months imprisonment, or a $10,000 fine or both if convicted.

Roginski is free on a $500 cash bond and is to have to contact with the victim or her family.

He appears in Wood County Circuit Court on November 30 at 2:45 PM for a preliminary hearing and arraignment.