A Cedar man is being held without bond after his arrest on charges of unlawful imprisonment.
On Wednesday, Aug. 7, a trooper from the Michigan State Police Traverse City Post was dispatched to a report of a missing person.
The parents of the missing person stated they had not heard from their daughter in over a week, and they were informed by their daughter’s employer that she had not been showing up for work.
An investigation followed, and the missing woman returned to her residents on Aug. 9. Her roommate called the State Police and stated she had returned and been involved in a domestic violence incident in Leelanau County.
The victim was interviewed and told the trooper she had been at the Cedar area residence of 44-year-old Eric G. Aschim since July 30. Every time she tried to leave, Aschim would restrain her. He’d taken her car keys and would not let her speak with anyone unless he could listen to her conversation. She was afraid to tell anyone what was happening because she feared there would be repercussions. She’d tried leaving three times in one day, which resulted in her being physically abused.
Unlawful imprisonment is a 15-year felony.
Aschim was arrested by the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office on separate charges and lodged in the Leelanau County Jail.
He was arraigned earlier this month after allegedly assaulting his brother in the home they share.
Aschim was arraigned on two felonies and two misdemeanors stemming from an Aug. 8 altercation.
According to the probable cause statement for these charges, Eric Aschim called law enforcement and reported his brother, Evan, assaulted him.
However, when law enforcement arrived, it was discovered that another person was in the residence.
That person was interviewed and disclosed that Eric Aschim had assaulted him on multiple occasions that day and that he put his forearm across the victim’s throat.
Eric Aschim was charged with counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder; a 10-year offense; aggravated domestic violence, a one-year offense and straight up domestic violence, a 93-day misdemeanor.
A preliminary hearing in this case is slated for Friday.
