Three months for HIV carrier who spat on victim

EPHRATA — A Hartline man infected with HIV was sentenced to three months in jail after assaulting a woman and spitting in her eye.

Dale Gregory Powers Suave was originally charged with first-degree assault while risking the victim becoming infected with HIV and second-degree assault with substantial bodily harm in connection with a mid-July incident.

According to the police, the victim indicated that the incident started over a petty argument that escalated into a shouting match. Trying to defuse the situation, the victim reportedly left the scene and got into a truck. Suave then reportedly dragged her out of the car, dropped her onto the ground, and began to kick her in the stomach and face once she was prone.

The victim said Suave then spat in her eye, causing fear that she might contract HIV. Suave then reportedly grabbed a piece of wood and walked toward her with the log raised above his head, but he reportedly did not continue the assault at the time. After a few hours, the victim reported that Suave kicked her again in the head, dislodging a tooth.

Court documents indicate that Suave threatened responding officers, saying that he hoped they contracted AIDS. Based on this interaction and the underlying charges, a judge approved a prosecutor’s request to place Suave in restraints and a spit mask during proceedings.

However, after the victim asked the prosecutors to drop the charges, they were downgraded to third-degree domestic violence assault with bodily harm, to which Suave pleaded guilty last Monday.

He was sentenced to three months in jail, 12 months in community custody and ordered to undergo mental health treatment. He had no prior criminal history.

Emry Dinman can be reached via email at edinman@columbiabasinherald.com.